THE VOW
by the s33r
Summary: In 2011, Nathan's actions of 2009 have caught up with him, forcing his brothers to go into defense-mode, not just for him, but the rest of their family. Old alliances are formed, new adversaries are revealed, as the battle for their lives continues.
1. PROLOGUE: REVELATIONS

**DISCLAIMER: This fan-fic is set in an AU of the Heroes Universe. I decided to take the premise from the first-half of Season 3, that Nathan, Peter and Gabriel are family and see where I can take it from there.**

**Everything else in the Petrelli family is as per usual, but with a small twist; Arthur is alive, Claire is still Nathan's daughter, and Nathan is married to Meredith; whom Arthur still doesn't approve of.**

**Hope you enjoy my interpretation of Heroes.**

****N/B: I do not own any of the characters or plot ideas that are presented in Heroes. Tim Kring and NBC own all characters, plots and other relevant information concerning the show****

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**This fan-fic take place 2 years after the Season 3 episode "A Clear And Present Danger". It will also include various instances from volume 4, as well as other original content.**

**Characters featured are: Nathan, Meredith, Claire, Peter, Gabriel and Elle. Arthur & Angela also makes an appearance. Eden (from Season 1) is also in this fic.**

**THE VOW**

**PROLOGUE: REVELATIONS**

Every family has their perks and their secrets. Some families choose to keep secrets from the rest of the world, while others choose to keep their lives secret to each other. The Petrelli family was the latter of these two.

Secrets, lies, betrayal, deceit; it was all this family had ever known. And it went right down their family line. From Arthur and his deceitful acts towards his wife and sons; to Angela and her constant lies. This family had been through it all, yet they still managed to never lose themselves amongst it all. After Arthur's brush with death at the hands of his second son Gabriel, the family almost had to keep up a fight just to stay alive as well as staying out of the eyes of the press.

For such a "powerful" family the Petrelli's had a lot of wounds that were still in the healing process. Especially after everything they had gone through when Nathan had declared that people with abilities be rounded up. That was 2 years ago, and it had left a significant scar on all of them.

A sigh could be heard from the office as Gabriel Petrelli sat there, looking at another newspaper that had his older brother's face on it. He scratched his head and shook it lightly in dismay. He just couldn't seem to stay out of the public eye, whether he liked it or not. He really felt for Meredith and Claire right about now. They were usually the first people to be affected by Nathan's actions.

"_What are you trying to do Nathan?" _Gabriel thought to himself.

Once again Nathan had managed to catch the eye of America, and not only because of his recent return to politics, but also the controversy surrounding his brother's attempt to kill his father. Whether Nathan liked it or not, he would have to play the double-role once again. With his father still out there Nathan was now the heir to the Petrelli throne and the protector of the estate. This wasn't the way either of the family wanted it to happen, but when you were special and you lived in a world where you were feared, you had to do whatever it took to keep your loved ones alive.

As for Gabriel, his life had changed dramatically after his father's "death". Along with Elle's help, as well as the support of his mother Angela and his brothers, he had managed to gain complete control of the "hunger" that had encompassed him for so long. He was now a free man, able to live his life in peace. Even with his unique abilities, Gabriel was still in control, thanks to Elle, who had helped him access the dominant, empathic side of his ability.

The monster known as Sylar was dead, the tortured past of Gabriel Grey was gone. Gabriel Petrelli was the only man that remained, and he was grateful for that. Since the time of Gabriel's restoration, the Petrelli family made a _vow_ to always protect each other at all costs, no matter what.

The dim lamp was the only thing lighting the room, providing a quiet and pensive environment for Gabriel. He took one last look at the newspaper and threw it down. His dark brown eyes continued to look at the page, which ironically was the very first page of the newspaper.

He gave a small growl until he felt the slender hands of his wife, creeping over the shoulder of his shirt.

"What's up?" Elle asked, rubbing her husband's shoulders.

"Take a look for yourself" Gabriel answered in a low tone.

Elle Petrelli picked up the newspaper, her brow furrowed and she grunted, causing an electrical discharge to go through the room.

"Dammit Nathan" she cursed.

"Whoa watch it Elle" Gabriel frowned.

"Honestly Gabriel, why can't your brother just stay put?" she questioned.

"It's cause he's the first son of Arthur Petrelli. Our father always chose to thrust Nathan into the spotlight, while Peter was always the one trying to keep the peace...and then there was me who was just…."

Gabriel cut himself short as images of his torn past flash before his eyes. Elle wrapped her arms around Gabriel's shoulders and embraced him.

"Hey hey, that part of your life is all over now. You never have to go back down that road again," she said, kissing his cheek.

Gabriel pushed himself out of the chair and turned to embrace his short, blonde-haired wife with a smile. Elle reciprocated the gesture and gazed into his eyes.

"If it weren't for you, Peter and Nathan, I wouldn't be here today" Gabriel said.

"We'll always be here for you" Elle said with a grin. She briefly looked down at the newspaper, then back to Gabriel. "And Nathan will be here too."

The two of them stood there for a short while, enjoying the comfort and sanctuary of each other's embrace. Just then the phone rang, interrupting the silence.

"Hello" Elle answered.

Her eyes went wide with shock as she listened in and immediately gasped to the person on the other side of the line. Gabriel kept his eyes on her, trying to read her mind. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't acquired that ability, as both Peter and Matt Parkman had refused him access to it. So he just stood there trying to listen into the conversation.

Soon Elle had hung up and turned to look at him, her deep blue eyes meeting Gabriel's dark brown counter-parts.

"Who was that, what's going on?" he asked.

Elle took a few deep breaths; looking up to the man she loved. She wasn't exactly sure if she would be able to talk, but she knew she had to inform Gabriel of the news.

"That was Peter. H-He said that the authorities and the State of New York have ordered an inquiry of Nathan, and his actions over the last few months" Elle explained.

"You mean everything concerning those with abilities?" Gabriel asked.

Elle just nodded as a tear begun making its way down her cheek. Gabriel quickly wiped the tear away and brought Elle into his arms.

"Why is this happening again Gabriel? I thought we were safe. I thought everything had been dealt with," Elle said through her tears.

"Apparently not" Gabriel answered. He then brought Elle's head up to look at her, "Where is Peter at the moment?'

Elle sniffled and wiped her eyes, "He and Eden are on their way here now."

"They're coming all the way from New York?" he asked.

Elle nodded. "Have you forgotten that your younger brother can still fly?" she said, a small smile breaking across her face.

"I just want Peter to be careful, that's all" Gabriel remarked.

"Peter knows what he's doing. And besides, he's got enough abilities at his disposal to protect him and Eden" Elle said.

Gabriel looked to her, an eyebrow slightly raised, "He only has a few at his disposal remember" he reminded her.

"But he's still just as powerful as you ever were" Elle replied, as she wrapped her arms around Gabriel's shoulders, kissing his lips.

Elle released her husband from her embrace and walked to the kitchen to prepare some snacks and beverages.

He ran a hand through his thick crop of hair and sighed, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening again. It had only been 2 years since they were on the run for their lives, and now their family was in the thick of another conspiracy.

Was there to be any justice for the Petrelli's?

_**TO BE CONTINUED…  
**_


	2. CHAPTER 1: OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER

**NB: This is a continuation of my fic "The Vow".  
Thanks for all the positive feedback so far. Continue to review this fic, cause I want to continue to write it. **

**CHAPTER ONE: OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER**

As the darkness of the night provided the perfect cover for the young couple as they flew through the cool night sky. Although it was dark, the streetlights below still provided a map-like layout of Costa Verde, making it easy to identify their flight path.

Eden held onto her fiancée as tight as she could, resting her chin in the small nook of Peter's shoulder. She had always been so thankful for having Peter in her life. After her near fatal run-in with Gabriel 5 years ago, Noah Bennett had given Eden her new identity and ordered her to go pursue a new life. That's exactly what she did, but she remained keeping a close eye on those with abilities. And this was how she met Peter. The two of them became close over time, yet lost contact of each other because of the circumstances surrounding them at the time. Luckily for Eden, she kept a keen eye out for Peter, yet kept her distance. She had always been intrigued by Peter; his nature as a person, his strength of character and his abilities.

Upon hearing about Peter's return, after his disappearance, Eden quickly located him and the two of them renewed contact with each other. Although Peter couldn't remember Eden very well, they continued to work on their relationship. Despite the circumstances they managed to blossom in their relationship, to the point where they were now engaged. Eden knew about the risks that were involved with her involvement with Peter, but she didn't want to let go of him. And she knew he felt the same way about her.

From Peter's perspective, Eden was the best thing to happen to him since discovering his abilities. Besides being an extremely sweet, beautiful and bright individual, she had a way of making her way into your heart and staying there. It had nothing to do with her persuasive ability, it was just part of who she was as a person. Until know Peter didn't know what he would do without Eden by his side. The two of them were meant to be together. They knew it, their friends had known it, and the family knew it. They really were perfect for each other in so many ways.

"Hey where are you going? You went right passed their house" Eden said, pointing to the ground below.

Peter quickly glanced over his shoulder to the small brunette who was on his back, then down to the ground.

"Crap!" he cursed.

Eden inched forward to kiss Peter's cheek, "It's okay. Just swoop down and make a U-turn" she smirked, raising an eyebrow.

Without warning Peter swooped up and barrel-rolled down towards their destination. Meanwhile Eden held onto him as tight as she could, trying to catch her breath as the pair shot towards the house.

Peter slowly lowered them down at the back door of the house, allowing Eden to jump off his back. Peter stood there composing himself, straightening his jacket and combing a hand through his long, almost shoulder-length hair. Eden took notice of this and stepped up to him, tilting her head to one side ever so slightly.

"Are you sure you're alright honey?" she asked, her big brown eyes peering into Peter's. She had seen this particular expression so many times, Peter was obviously nervous of how Gabriel would take the news.

An audible gulp could be heard from Peter as he looked at the door, then back to Eden.

"You know what Gabriel is like when he hears about family troubles. I-We can't afford him to fly-off-the-handle like he usually does," he said.

"Peter your brother will be fine. And last time if I recall, it was _you _who flew-off-the-handle" Eden remarked, with that unmistakable smirk. The kind of crooked smile that made your heart tremble with joy.

Peter felt his shoulders slump down in a relaxed posture. One good thing about Eden was that she could be just as persuasive without using her abilities. Sometimes she didn't even have to say a word and she could draw anyone towards her. Peter always put it down to her angelic appearance, but that was only one side of the equation.

Not only could Eden persuade through a verbal manner, her abilities had evolved to the point where all she had to do was _think _of a persuasive gesture, and it the person she was targeting would adhere to that thought. That was all thanks to Matt Parkman. Because of his own _persuasive _abilities, he had managed to teach Eden that she could do the same thing, which had now increased her arsenal.

Peter and Eden looked into each other's eye once more before opening to back door.

"You ready for this?" Peter asked.

"Yeah…are you?" Eden inquired.

Peter gave her a confident smile and nodded in reply. Eden could see the honesty in his eyes, and she welcomed it. The two of them walked up to the door and opened it, walking into the house.

Elle heard the back door open and footsteps entering the house. She gently opened her hand as she felt the distinct crackle of electricity flow through it. Ever since the events of early 2009 Elle had been on her guard almost constantly. She didn't mean to be, but the circumstances at the time had called for it. And until now this defensive stance had become part of her life. She slowly walked over to the small hallway that lead to the back of the house, ready to attack if need be.

As they walked into the house, both Peter and Eden could hear a faint crackling and looked to each other. Either Gabriel or Elle were playing on the defensive again. The two of them had always been like that since their fugitive days 2 years ago, and there didn't seem to be any signs of them letting-up any time soon.

Elle slowly rounded the corner, ready to let loose on whomever had broken into their house. To her surprise Elle saw two brown-haired people dressed in dark jeans and black coats. With the aid of her electricity she could see that it was her brother in-law Peter and his fiancée Eden.

Peter stood there with a hand out stretched in front of him; he also seemed to be on the defence, and Elle couldn't blame him.

She stood there looking at the two longhaired people who stood in the hallway as she gathered her thoughts together.

"What was that? You-you could've called to let us know you were comin round the back?" Elle asked, as they entered the kitchen. She ushered her family members to the treats that were on the counter.

"We just thought it would be the safer option, rather then landing out the front" Peter said.

"And it's a bit hard to try and call someone, let along text them when you're flying with a Petrelli" Eden smirked.

Elle couldn't help but to smile at the young woman's comment. Elle had always seen Eden as a young girl in a woman's body; it was cute to say the least. Just then Gabriel entered the room. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he saw his younger brother standing there in the kitchen. Gabriel walked up to Peter and embraced him. Peter accepted the gesture and reciprocated it quickly.

"Are you doin okay?" Gabriel asked with concern in his eyes, as he looked at his little brother, resting his hands on Peter's shoulders.

Peter nodded "Yeah I'm good. But our brother's not."

Gabriel nodded at this, "I know. Elle filled me in before you guys came over" he replied. "What has Nathan gotten himself into this time?"

Before anyone could utter another word, Elle stepped up to her dark-haired companions, holding out a few plates of food, "And before we discuss the dealings of our older brother, let's go sit down and get comfortable."

Elle moved from the kitchen towards the living room, a small electrical discharge following her.

Eden looked to Gabriel, her deep brown eyes asking the question _"Is she okay?"_

All Gabriel could do was nod at his future sister in-law in response to her silent, but verbal question.

The four of them assembled in the living room and sat on the couches surrounding the small coffee table, each with their significant other by their side. As they chatted, laughed and reminisced about the last few years they had spent with each together, the good times and the bad. The dense atmosphere had been lifted from them, allowing them to relax and get all their thoughts together. They eventually knew they would have to get down to business sooner or later.

As the Petrelli brothers sat in the living room, Elle and Eden were in the kitchen cleaning up. The too woman laughed and made jokes about the men in their lives, while those men sat solemnly, speaking quietly to each other.

"So have you and Peter made any further arrangements for the wedding?" Elle asked Eden as she packed the dishwasher.

Eden smiled brightly to the blonde woman, "If you're wanting to know if you're still in the running to be in the wedding party, then you don't even have to ask. _You should know the answer to that_."

Just then Eden's voice took on that familiar _double-tone_, the one that was so evident when she was using her abilities. Elle's head shot up and she looked straight ahead. She blinked a few times then directed her gaze to the brunette who was at the counter.

"Yeah, you're right. I do…know" Elle said slowly. Meanwhile Eden just stood there smiling to herself, admiring her handy work. Elle blinked a few more times when she came too.

"Don't you ever do that again," Elle said with a shocked, yet light-hearted expression. Elle didn't always like it when Eden used her abilities, as the woman could get away with almost anything. The only people who weren't affected by her persuasiveness were Peter and Gabriel. How Elle coveted their abilities. Soon enough the girls re-entered the living room and sat down, ready for what was about to unfold.

"So Peter…what exactly has our big brother done this time? Cause judging by what print media has said about him, he's dug himself into a hole again" Gabriel said.

He held his gaze on Peter as he waited for an answer. His eyes were intense and his face staunch. Everyone else in the room could've sworn that Gabriel was capable of building a telekinetic wall with all the intensity he carried within him.

Elle put a hand on his knee, reassuring him that she was there and that everything would be alright.

Peter brushed a long strand of dark brown hair behind his right ear and took a breath. He wanted to make sure his explanation came out right, so Gabriel and Elle wouldn't become too worried or angered.

"Nathan's been called in by the authorities and the State of New York, because they feel he has been making unnecessary movements to shut down the operations that started a few years ago" Peter explained.

"How exactly has Nathan been doing this?" Gabriel asked, leaning forward on the couch. "Has he been using his political status again?"

"It looks like it. But the thing that really has Mom bothered is that Nathan doesn't have anyone to back him up" Peter told them.

"What about Noah? I'm sure he'd be able to help Nathan" Elle said.

"Bennett has had to take a step back for a while" Eden said.

"But he still has a controlling stake with the authorities. Surely he can open up a few doors" Elle remarked.

Peter sighed "The last time Bennett tried to open up a few doors…"

"Nathan's ability was discovered" Gabriel finished.

Elle groaned and ran a hand over her face in frustration, "So what do we have to do to save big brother?"

"We all know how the authorities would go about this, not to mention the New York's branch of DHS. They'd keep it under-wraps" Eden said.

She did have a point. After all she was one of few people in their growing family who had actually worked for the Company. And after everything that happened with Nathan and Danko and their whole operation, it was wise that they listen to her.

The room was quiet and unusually still, until Gabriel got up form the couch, exiting the room.

"Where are you going?" Elle asked, her voice trembling.

"Stay here" he replied.

Gabriel entered his office and then re-entered the living room, with a newspaper in hand. He slapped it down on the coffee table, looking directly to Peter.

"This is what they've said about him. They're accusing him," he noted.

"The media will do that to you. And in Nathan's career it's been all too constant" Peter said as he looked down at the news article.

"So you're saying it's not the media Mongols we have to worry about. It's those on the _inside_," Elle asked. Her deep blue eyes quivered ever so slightly. It was happening again, the hunt. The past was coming back to haunt them.

Gabriel could tell his wife was becoming nervous about the situation they currently found themselves in. He put an arm around her, bringing her into his embrace. Elle gladly melted into her husband's arms and remained there as she set her eyes on the young couple who sat before them.

"Gabriel, what do you think we should do?" Peter asked his older brother.

Gabriel was almost shocked that he was being put in this position of leadership. He knew that Peter was capable at orchestrating and successfully executing a plan to save Nathan, but why was he asking the middle child to take the reigns?

"Gabriel…" Peter said, "You alright?"

Gabriel blinked a few times before recomposing himself, "Yeah I'm fine," he said. He sat there thinking about what to do…then it came to him.

"I think the best way to go about this is to try and infiltrate the system somehow, get on the inside and take control," he said.

Peter and Eden looked at each other, then back to Gabriel. He had a good point with his plan. Infiltration was most likely their best way of making sure that Nathan, Meredith and Claire would remain unharmed.

"But who's gonna go on the inside?" Elle asked, "We can't be so nonchalant about this. This is our brother's life we're talking about, the life of his family, of _this _family."

Elle had also raised a good point. If they were to succeed, they had to execute every manoeuvre properly, without fault. The four of them sat there looking at each other, until Gabriel broke the silence.

"Eden and I will go do recon, Peter, you and Elle stay here to protect the family and make sure nothing happens to them" he said.

"Wait a minute, how are you guys gonna get around. You do realize they could be watching us," Peter pointed out.

Gabriel looked at Peter intently, his own brown eyes focusing on those of his younger brother. Peter picked up on Gabriel's empathy and decided to give in. The least he could do was help his brother out. After a few short moments Gabriel blinked and took in a few deep breaths.

"I haven't done that in two years" he remarked.

Elle placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it softly, "Are you okay? Did anything happen?"

Gabriel shook his head, "No" he answered, a small smile creeping up on his lips. "I think it's finally gone" he smiled to the others.

"The hunger?" Eden asked, leaning forward on the couch.

Gabriel nodded.

"I definitely felt something different. It wasn't so intense, it was like he was…connecting with me," Peter said.

Elle gave a small smile "That's what happened to me the first time Gabriel used the empathic side of his abilities. It actually took my pain away."

"Well I guess we're all set then" Eden smiled. "How long til we can put this plan into action?"

"Lets wait it out for a few days. Study the situation you know" Gabriel suggested.

"Sounds good" Peter replied. With that he got up from the couch accompanied by Eden. "Let us know what our movements are gonna be."

"We'll do" Gabriel answered.

Suddenly Elle shot up into a standing position, "What about Meredith and Claire? They need to know," she said. Over the years Elle had come to care about Meredith and Claire a great deal. Until now she would do anything for them.

"You tell them Elle. But do it gently" Gabriel advised.

Elle nodded with a smile.

"Well we better get going. It's pretty dark out there, and no doubt the air will be freezing by the time we reach the mid-west" Eden said with a smirk.

"Let's us know if anything changes" Peter said.

"Sure thing" Gabriel answered.

"Goodnight guys" Peter said, waving to them.

Gabriel and Elle waved at them as the two brunettes exited the house. The distinct _whoosh _of Peter's flight could be heard as they departed the premises.

So the plan had been formulated, and was days away from being put into motion. The only thing the Petrelli's didn't know was how their decisions would affect not just their family, but all those who were close to them.

_TO BE CONTINUED..._


	3. CHAPTER 2: EVADING THE FIRE

**CHAPTER TWO: EVADING THE FIRE**

Claire Petrelli sat in the living room of their house looking through various magazines, her golden, sandy-blonde hair falling neatly around her shoulders. She wasn't really interested in what any of them had to say; it was just something to pass the time. As she looked through the magazines she realized how futile and ridiculous the world could be. Everything was about me, me, me. What can I do to make myself look better, feel better, act better, and be more appealing to the opposite sex. It was all a stupid attempt to fall into line with the status quo. Sadly she had been like that once, when she was younger, in her cheerleading days. But ever since that fateful day of the Eclipse, her life had turned around, a full 360 degrees. Everything she knew about her life and the life of her family wasn't the same after that day.

After that day in 2006 the Petrelli family had endured a lot of hardships. Lies were being told, people were beginning to lost trust in each other, and for Claire, she was in the middle of it all. She had been the catalyst for an operation that was well beyond her control. Fortunately she had the support of the majority of her family members. As for her father and her other uncle, the second Petrelli son, they were dealing with their own lives. For Nathan it was all about his agenda to be put in a place of power and prestige; which to Claire was an exact mirror imagine of his father, her grandfather Arthur Petrelli.

As for Gabriel, Claire felt extremely overwhelmed with grief and fear as she saw her sensitive, loving uncle give into his inner demons and go off alone on a road that would take him almost a full 6 years to return from. Yet once again while everyone else in her family was battling for supremacy and a lofty status, she still had a constant in her world, being her mother and her uncle, the youngest of the Petrelli Empire.

Claire sighed to herself as the memories flashed through her mind, shaking her head to rid herself of her family's dark and tortured past. The past was exactly that, and she couldn't go back, although she had with the help of Hiro Nakamura, but still Claire didn't see the use in trying to make the past any better than it had originally been. At this current point in time she was happy with her life. Her family was finally the complete unit they had desired to be for so long. She smiled at the thought, tilting her head to the right. She had everything she could've asked for, loving, stable parents; Nathan and Meredith, two uncles; Gabriel and Peter whom she adored and who adored her back just as much. Then there were Claire's aunts. Firstly there was the eccentric young aunt Elle, who made the young woman feel like a princess, and then there was her aunt-to-be Eden, who was almost the opposite of Elle. Eden was the sweet, pensive, deep person who helped Claire to make sense of life, as well as sharing all her incredibly girlie moments. This wasn't to say that Elle wasn't the "girlie-girl" type, because she was, but she was just more "out-there" than Eden, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it helped to create a balance in the influence that was shown to Claire.

And last but not least there was Angela Petrelli, Claire's grandmother. After everything that the woman had put her family through, she was always there to give advice and wise counsel to all of them.

Claire had grown very close to Angela since their time of hiding, which was something Claire cherished. Since that time Angela had helped bring the family back together by mending the wounds and scars in her own life. From then on the healing process of the wider family began to take effect, yet there were still a few aspects of family-life that still needed to be dealt with. But none the less Claire was glad that her family was together. Because when they were together, they were at their strongest.

The front door of the house opened as Meredith Petrelli entered the foyer of their New York home. Meredith let out some hot breath as she walked to the kitchen, resting the bags on the counter. She retrieved a glass from the cupboard and walked to the refrigerator to get herself some water. Meredith drunk the cold water slowly, basking in the fresh, crisp sensation as it slid down her throat. Meredith stood there for a moment, allowing the refreshing feeling to wash over her from the inside out.

Work had been anything but eventful today. All Meredith had done was supervise people left, right and centre. It was just constant talking, and facilitation. She couldn't wait for the clock to strike home time. By the time it did Meredith had already gathered her things and was heading out the door. And now that she was at home all she wanted was to do was relax. She rubber her temple slowly until she heard someone walk into the room.

"Oh Mom…you're home early" Claire smiled, walking up to her to kiss her on the cheek.

"Well I rushed home as fast as I could once that clock struck home time" Meredith sighed.

Claire could see her mother looked physically and mentally exhausted, "How about you go take a nice relaxing bath, and I'll prepare dinner" she smiled.

"Oh baby you don't have to do that. I'll get dinner started soon," Meredith protested. Claire walked over to her mother, grabbed her hand and led her to the flight of stairs.

"_You _are going to take a bath mother. You deserve some peace and tranquillity" Claire commented with a smile.

Meredith looked at her daughter, a smile painting itself on her own face. "Gosh you are so beautiful" she said softly, placing a hand on Claire's cheek.

Claire blushed at her mother's gesture, "I love you Mom."

"Love you too honey" Meredith said.

The blonde woman then turned around, making her way upstairs to the bathroom. In the meanwhile Claire walked back to the kitchen to go prepare dinner for the family.

**********************

Gabriel sat at his desk in his office looking at his laptop as he punched in number and worked out calculations. One of the advantages of having your own business was that you could work one your own terms. Not to say that Gabriel was being a selfish one-man-show, but he liked to work alone. He had done it for the majority of his life, so he was used to it. And although he could "play well with others", he had always wanted to have his own company.

"_Thank God for self-consultancy_" he thought to himself.

He continued to type in his figures until an email alert popped up on his screen. Gabriel frowned at this and continued his work. Yet again the sound of a bell rung as the email alert popped up. Gabriel shook his head and dismissed it, resuming his work. Once again the alert made itself known. This time a animalistic grunt came from his lips as Gabriel stared at the computer screen.

"_Fine…have it your way_" Gabriel thought, as he opened the email.

Upon opening it an attachment caught his eye; it was the article from yesterday's newspaper. Gabriel frowned as he saw this and scrolled down the page to see what else was there. Upon reaching the bottom he saw the phrase:

"_**WE CAN SEE YOU….SO WATCH YOUR BACK"**_

Gabriel's forehead stayed in it's furrowed position as he scrolled between the news article and the text below it. As he continued to look at the email his first thought was _Rebel_. But that couldn't be right; Micah Sanders wasn't the kind of person to send threats to those he knew. Or could he?

"_NO! It's not Micah, it can't be_" was the thought that went through Gabriel's mind.

Now his mind had been taken off his work, it was now going to be impossible to get back into a routine. The house was quiet and all Gabriel had with him were his thoughts. And for someone of his nature, leaving yourself along with your thoughts could sometimes be one of the most dangerous things in the world, more dangerous then a having an array of abilities at your disposal. And the hard part was trying not to give into the suggestions and theories the mind would try to create.

Gabriel was beginning to become frustrated, he couldn't take it anymore; he had to do something. He wasn't about to let that message go unnoticed. He shut down his laptop and walked to the kitchen. He wrote a small note to Elle, telling her he was heading out for a while. He then walked door, grabbing his motorbike jacket and heading towards the back of the house. It was becoming increasingly difficult to use his abilities these days; it was becoming difficult for all of his family to use their abilities. Although Claire was the only person who could really get away with it.

Upon walking out the door Gabriel quickly assessed his surroundings before leaping into the air and soaring off into the sky at an incredible speed. His ability of Intuitive Aptitude had always been a blessing and a curse. In this case it was the former. As he flew he thought about Peter and the location of his house, suddenly he knew exactly where to head too. With one push Gabriel propelled himself to Mach One and headed towards his destination.

***************************

"Mmmm there we go, finally clean" Eden said to herself as she looked around the house. She always felt a sense of achievement whenever she cleaned the house, seeing as it used to be Angela's old place and she had given it to her and Peter as an engagement present. And the house came with a few maids here and there as well, which was a big bonus in Eden's books.

As Eden rounded the corner to walk to the living room she saw Peter walk through the door. A vibrant smile instantly appeared on her face when she saw him. Eden was still so smitten by Peter Petrelli; she couldn't of asked for a better man to have entered her life.

Peter looked at Eden with that innocent gaze of his, "Why are you beaming like that" he asked, as he put his bag down.

Eden had to stop herself from blushing. She took a few deep breaths and fanned herself in front of her fiancée.

Peter smirked when he saw this and walked up to Eden, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground, bringing her in for a sweet, small kiss.

Peter's actions caused Eden to blush even more, that she tried using her long hair to cover her face. She then peeked out between the strands of hair into Peter's eyes, desperately trying to use her abilities on him.

Peter just stood there smiling at his blushing girl and reflected her abilities right back at her.

"Peter that's not fair" Eden pouted.

Peter continued to smile at her and inched in to give Eden an Eskimo kiss, which she glad accepted with a large grin. The two of them stood there for a while whispering pleasantries to each other, not even taking notice of what was going on around them.

*******************

Gabriel spotted his mother's old place and swooped down to make a soft landing on the rooftop. He walked to the door and tried opening it, but to his dismay it was locked. Gabriel smiled to himself and flicked a finger at the doors, unlocking them with his telekinesis.

Upon entering the house he closed the door behind him and made his way through the kitchen and dining areas, taking care not to startle anyone; is anyone was even home.

"Hello….is anyone home?" he called out.

As Gabriel walked into the foyer he saw Peter and Eden having some "quality time". He shook his head at this and walked closer to them.

"Don't you think you should do that in a more "private" setting" Gabriel remarked, looking directly at Eden and his brother.

Eden's head spun around in shock, her eyes wide as she looked at her future brother in-law, "Geez don't you ever knock?"

Gabriel just smirked at Eden's comment.

"You know Gabriel's never been the type of guy to do that. He prefers to use the element of surprise" Peter said.

"That is correct" Gabriel said, backing up Peter's comment.

"So why have you decided to barge into our home with nothing so much as a phone call?" Eden asked.

Gabriel swallowed as he looked at the young couple, "I received an email just about two hours ago from someone tell me that they can us, and that we have to watch our backs."

Peter and Eden both looked at Gabriel with the same expression. Both of them unsure if what Gabriel was telling them was the truth. "Who was the email from?" Peter asked.

"Was it Rebel?" Eden shot.

Gabriel shook his head in denial, "It wasn't Micah. As far as I know, he stopped the whole _Rebel _thing after everything had been sorted out with Nathan, Danko and the Operation" he told them.

"Then who was it? And how did they get your email address" Peter asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I dunno Peter. But we can't wait around to find out" Gabriel said.

***************************

Elle read the note that Gabriel had written her and sighed. Their lives were becoming over-complicated once again, and she didn't want that. Not now, not ever again. She had had enough of running, hiding and fighting for their lives. Elle looked around the kitchen and set her eyes on the phone. It was time to make the call.

Dinner was almost done when Claire heard the phone ring. She looked between the phone and the salad she was preparing. "Argh…wait, wait, wait, I'm coming" she said.

Claire quickly wiped her hands and rushed over to the phone, fumbling it as she answered it, "Hel-hello…" she answered.

"Claire, Hi it's Elle. Is your mom there?" Elle asked, almost timidly.

"Oh hey Elle, what's up?" Claire asked with a smile.

"Oh you know, work, home, life and Gabriel" Elle answered with a slight smirk.

It brought a smile to Claire's face to hear her uncle's name. After everything that had happened between them, her and Gabriel had become intensely close to each other, to the point that Gabriel would be anything to protect her. She cherished that about their relationship.

"Sounds good" Claire said, sounding almost chipper. "So what do you need?"

"Your mom…please" Elle asked sweetly.

"Okay, I'll go get her" Claire chuckled.

Claire walked upstairs to find her mother walking out of the bathroom in a robe.

"What is it sweetie?" Meredith asked.

"Elle's on the phone. She wants to talk to you" Claire said.

"About what?" Meredith asked. Claire just shrugged.

Meredith quickly went to her bedroom and picked up the phone, "Hi Elle, is everything okay?" she asked quickly.

"Okay…I'm just gonna get to the point" Elle said, taking a breath. "Yesterday Gabriel and I saw an article in the newspaper that spoke about how the State of New York was ordering an inquiry on Nathan, regarding his involvement with the Operation and it's affects on the nation." Elle explained.

Meredith almost couldn't believe her ears, "Elle are you telling me the truth?" she asked in a motherly tone.

"Meredith have I ever steered you wrong before?" Elle inquired.

Meredith sighed "A couple of times back in the day" she smirked.

"Find the most recent newspaper and take a look for yourself" Elle said,

Meredith repeated Elle's request to Claire, who went to the living room to retrieve a newspaper. As Claire walked back into the master bedroom, the look on her face told Meredith that Elle _was _telling the truth. Claire brought the newspaper to her mother, who saw a picture of her husband on the front page.

"I can't believe this" Meredith said quietly on the phone as she read the news article. "Do the others know?"

Elle ran a hand through her blonde, jaggered shoulder-length hair and walked to the living room to sit down. "Gabriel, Peter and Eden know about the situation," she told Meredith.

Meredith could feel herself almost beginning to choke on her own breath. Claire moved in to comfort her, wrapping her arms around her mother's shoulders and embracing her.

"So….wh-what's happening? You guys do have a plan don't you?" Meredith asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Gabriel and Eden are going to do recon. Peter and I are gonna stay with you and Claire until we have some more concrete evidence" Elle explained. She began to feel her heart begin to pain. It was like someone was squeezing it. Elle let out a pained sigh.

"ELLE…" Meredith exclaimed.

"I'm okay sweetie" Elle reassured her.

"I can't believe this is happening. Nathan told me that we'd be safe," Meredith said. "He lied to me…again."

Claire stroked her fingers through her mother's hair as she tried to calm her down.

"Meredith we're gonna sort this out okay. As soon as Gabriel gets back we're flying straight to your place" Elle told her.

Meredith frowned slightly "Gabriel…flying…what?"

Elle chuckled "I'll explain later."

"Well please hurry, cause I don't know if I can cope anymore" Meredith said.

"I'll give you a call before we leave" Elle told her.

With that the phone call ended. Meredith put the phone back on the receiver and wiped her eyes. Her blue eyes trembled lightly as Meredith looked at her daughter, who was trying to keep from crying.

"What did Elle say?" Claire asked her mother.

Meredith wiped her eyes once more and turned to her daughter, "Umm her and Gabriel are coming here as soon as he gets home."

"And what about Peter and Eden?" Claire asked.

"I guess they'll follow suite" Meredith answered.

Claire stroked her mother's hair again and embraced her.

"This can't happen to our family…not again" Meredith choked.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	4. CHAPTER 3: CAGED IN

**CHAPTER THREE: CAGED IN **

Peter paced back and forth, his head directed to the floor as continued to follow the invisible line he had now made for himself. His mind had become a garbage dump of thoughts, while his body tried to hold itself together from spilling forth and erupting in emotion. This whole situation with Nathan was already starting to weigh him down, and he wasn't handling it too well.

He rubbed his forehead, letting out a grunt of frustration. Peter looked towards his brother and then his fiancée. He held his stern expression for a moment, before closing his eyes for a brief second.

Eden sighed, walking up to Peter, placing her hands on his broad shoulders, and running her fingers through the ends of his long hair. She knew how hard this was for him. After everything they had all been through with Nathan and the Operation, it seemed like life could go back to normal. But in their world _normal _wasn't even an option.

"So what are we gonna do from here? Do you want us to go investigate" Eden asked, gesturing between herself and Gabriel.

Peter shook his head lightly, "No, it's too big of a risk. I won't let you two go out on a whim."

Peter's eyes were intense; Eden and Gabriel could feel it. It was as if his emotions were emitting energy of their own. Gabriel locked eyes with his younger brother and he held Peter's gaze until he calmed down.

Gabriel stepped up to Peter, placing his hands on top of Eden's, as he looked into his brother's eyes. "We'll gather the family together and talk about this."

Peter simply looked at Gabriel and nodded his head.

Gabriel smiled, glancing to Eden "Take care of him for us, okay."

"We'll do" Eden said with a small smile.

"I'll call you once everything's organized alright?" Gabriel said.

"Sure" Peter smiled.

Gabriel turned towards the open door and made his way towards the rooftop. Eden stood there, pulling her full lips to the side, and then raced after Gabriel, "Wait!"

Gabriel turned to meet to short woman who had called for his attention, "What is it?"

Eden briefly looked back at Peter and then turned to Gabriel, raising herself on her toes. "I still think we should go investigate," she whispered into his ear.

Gabriel glanced to his brother and then to Eden "I think it'll be best to execute our plan once we secure Meredith, Claire and Nathan. Things will work out a lot better if we know they're safe," he told her.

Eden put a hand on his shoulder as she lowered herself to the ground, "Okay" she replied softly.

Gabriel smiled and ran a hand through her hair.

"Stay safe" Eden said, kissing his cheek softly.

"Always am" Gabriel replied.

With that Gabriel walked out the door and propelled himself into the air, setting himself en-route back to Costa Verde.

Eden closed the door once he had left and locked it. She couldn't help to think about what Meredith and Claire were going through. Did they even know about what was being said concerning Nathan's current position? Did Nathan even know himself?

So many questions, yet not enough answers. She didn't like this situation, not one bit. Someone was trying to expose the Petrelli family again; someone wanted to bring them down, to destroy them.

Eden made her way over to Peter, who could sense the dismay within her, let alone see it on her face.

"It'll be okay. We're gonna get through this. And whoever is trying to break us apart will be sorry they even sought us out" Peter assured her.

"I hope you're right Peter" Eden remarked, as he brought her into his embrace.

********

Nathan set his briefcase down in his office and walked out towards the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water. He looked around the kitchen as he entered the space. The house was unusually quiet, more quiet than usual. Nathan shook off the feeling and opened the bottle to drink from it. As the cool water hit his lips Nathan closed his eyes, sighing inwardly as if he were caught in a moment of euphoria.

The kitchen lights lit the room dimly as the accomplished politician stood, leaning up against the counter. Work was beginning to become somewhat taxing on Nathan. It was causing him to feel fatigued, strained and his family was suffering because of it. He was beginning to spend more time at the office and on interstate senate trips when he could've assigned someone else to do the work for him. But no, Nathan's superiors put him in the hot seat as usual, and that was something the eldest Petrelli was beginning to find distasteful. His family was important to him. Not just Meredith and Claire, but Gabriel, Elle, Peter and Eden, as well as mother Angela. Nathan was the head of the Petrelli clan, and he was going to make sure that he remained in that position.

Believe it or not the Petrelli family had their hierarchy. Angela was the Foresight; Nathan was the Protector; Gabriel was the Warrior and Peter was the Comforter. The Petrellis were a complete unit, and even though they were strong as individuals, they were stronger when they were together.

Nathan sighed at the thought and took some more water into his mouth. He walked over to his office and got out his laptop to make one final check before the night was out. Upon opening his email the unmistakable sound of a new alert sung its song. A small grunt made its way out of Nathan's mouth. Somehow he knew this would happen. That one sound had almost made an imprint in his brain because of the amount of emails he would receive on a daily basis.

He opened the email, wiping a hand across his face as he waited to read whatever had come from his colleagues. Upon opening the email Nathan didn't find what he had expected to see. The message that he saw in front of him read:

"_**WE CAN SEE YOU…SO WATCH YOUR BACK"**_

Nathan frowned slightly as he looked at the message on the screen. His first initial reaction had been one of shock, but it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before. Numerous times throughout his career he had received threats from a number of anonymous people. Yet this one seemed _different_.

It almost seemed to have traces of Sylar imbedded into it, as well as traces of Rebel. Yet Nathan knew that both of those theories were incorrect. Gabriel had taken care of his life as Sylar a couple of years ago and was now free to finally live his life as a Petrelli. And as for Rebel, Micah; he had gone back to his life as a teenager, whilst continuing to try and save people with abilities, or the _Evolved _as he now called them. Nathan continued to stare at the email trying to make sense of it, trying to figure out who would send something like this to him. The contents of the document seemed to be directed at him, but Nathan couldn't help to think that this was also an attack on his family, as everyone now knew who they were and that people with abilities now freely lived amongst normal people. Nathan closed his laptop and leant back in the chair. This was great, the next thing he needed apart from looking over state proposals was an inquiry about the Operation, and threat mail from an unknown source.

********

A few weeks had passed since the Petrellis had received the threat via email, yet Gabriel couldn't let it go. He had been sitting on it for quite some time and he didn't want to ignore it any longer. Who knew who or what was lurking out there, waiting for the chance to take Nathan out at the blink of an eye. He couldn't just sit there a let another tragedy come upon their family, Gabriel had to do something.

The phone rung, breaking the silence, which had filled Peter and Eden's house. Peter slowly walked towards the phone and picked it up, "Hello."

Gabriel almost gasped at the sound of his younger brother's voice, "Peter, we need to meet."

Peter was almost taken back "What? Gabriel what's wrong?"

Gabriel blinked a few times, trying to compose himself. He could feel himself beginning to spin out, "Peter we can't sit back anymore. Someone's out there watching us" he exclaimed.

"I know, but we can't just go out there a cause a scene by snooping around" Peter said.

He understood where his brother was coming from. But for them to go hunting around for this silent assailant without a plan was asking for trouble. Peter walked to the living room and sat down in a recliner running a hand across his face.

Meanwhile Gabriel began to get impatient "Peter, did you hear what I said?"

"I heard you. But you know we can't risk it" Peter answered.

"We need to do something. Nathan's been targeted, and we all know how that normally goes down" Gabriel remarked.

"What do you mean?" Peter asked.

Gabriel turned around and sat on the edge of the counter. "I can feel it Peter. Look I dunno how it's happening, but I just know that things are moving along quickly, and whoever is on Nathan's case is gonna act soon."

Peter sat there almost in disbelief, "How do you know Gabriel?"

"I just know okay" Gabriel bit back, raising his voice slightly.

"Okay-Okay. Eden and I will be there soon, and we'll all talk about this" Peter assured him.

Gabriel gave a sigh of relief "Thank you Peter" he said.

"See you soon" Peter said, hangin up the phone.

Just then Eden walked by to see Peter grabbing his coat. "Hey where are you goin?" she asked surprised.

"Gabriel needs to talk to us about this situation with Nathan" Peter answered.

"Why?" Eden asked, her brown eyes looking bigger than usual.

"He feels that we need to make our move. Cause he feels that things are accelerating" Peter told her as he buttoned up his coat.

Seeing that he was prepared to go, Eden grabbed her own coat and put it on. The young couple headed toward the rooftop of their home and Peter locked the door. He then looked down to the city below.

"Are you sure we're gonna be okay to fly to Costa Verde?" Eden asked as they both scanned the city.

Peter raised his head to look at Eden, seeing the concern in her eyes. He knew that it was risky for them to be using their abilities so openly; even after everything Nathan had done to ensure their protection.

"I'm sure we'll be fine. It won't take us that long to get to Costa Verde, and besides, people won't even notice we're up there" Peter smiled.

Eden just gave her fiancée a crocked-lipped glance as she finished buttoning up her coat. She wrapped her arms around Peter's shoulders and held on tight.

"Whenever you're ready mister" Eden smiled.

Peter glanced back at her and looked to the sky, he ran to the edge of the rooftop and leapt off. As usual Eden gasped and held on for dear life as they free-fell for a little, then Peter pushed up and they soar high into the sky, going to Mach One as they soar just under the clouds.

********

The door opened and closed with a thump. Meredith stumbled a little until an unknown forced caught her and the bags she was carrying. The blonde woman looked passed one of the brown paper bags to see her husband Nathan standing there, holding some of the bags in his hands. Nathan smiled widely at his wife, taking the bags from her.

"Why thank you Nathan" Meredith commented, kissing his cheek.

The two Petrellis proceeded to walk to the kitchen where they began to unpack the bags and talk about the formalities of their day. All the while a small nagging sensation at the back of Nathan's mind kept eating at him. He knew exactly what the sensation was trying to tell him. He needed to tell Meredith what was going on. But could he really do it? Life had been moving along so well for them since the later months of 2009, and Nathan didn't want to bring his family back into a place of distress and fear again, it just wasn't right.

Meredith looked to Nathan, seeing the uncertainty in his facial expression. Nathan tried to hide it, but Meredith could see right through him. It had been his weakness their whole lives.

"Nathan what is it?" she asked, putting a hand to his cheek.

Nathan just stood there, apprehensive to speak. Meredith continued to look at him with her unwavering gaze, her deep blue eyes peering deep into his refusing him to move. Nathan could've sworn that his wife had some dormant telepathy within her. He knew he couldn't bear to hold it in any longer…he had to tell her.

"There's been some…trouble at work" Nathan started.

Meredith just stood there, her eyes going wide and her hand gently trembling against Nathan's cheek.

"The State has…ordered an inquiry against me regarding the events of 2009" Nathan said. Finally he had been able to get the words out of his mouth that had been stewing away in his mind for the last few weeks.

This came as a shock to Meredith, yet she held herself together. She already knew about Nathan's current predicament, thanks to her sister in-law Elle, but she still wanted to hear it from Nathan.

"How could the State do this to you. The Operation, Building 26, it's all behind us now. We've built a better life for this country" Meredith exclaimed. "Why Nathan, why?"

Nathan shook his head "I-I dunno. I've managed to keep a clean slate for the passed few years, but somehow, someone has begun to dig up old news."

Meredith wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders, and Nathan held her close as they both sighed, nestling in each other's embrace. She knew she had to break the news to him; it wouldn't be fair to Nathan if she didn't.

"Nathan I have to tell you something" Meredith said. Nathan just stood there, his arms still around her waist, waiting to hear what Meredith had to say.

Meredith wasn't sure how Nathan would react, but she would have to bite the bullet. She neatly tucked her fringe behind one of ears and looked up at him.

"Nathan I already know about the inquiry…"

Nathan just looked at her with a slight frown on his face. This was a new development to him.

"Look I know you might be angry with me right now, but I have a good reason for why I knew about this" Meredith defended.

"So how have you know for so long, and why?" Nathan asked in a low tone.

"Elle called me up a few weeks ago after reading about the inquiry in the paper…" Meredith started. Nathan went to advance on her, but she held up a hand in defense.

"Her and Gabriel told me because they wanted to protect you, me and Claire. That's all."

Meredith waited for Nathan to react, but he held his ground and retreated back slowly. The expression on his face displayed gratitude and uncertainty. Meredith had never seen Nathan like this for a long time, ad she was becoming more concern by the minute.

Nathan slowly turned around and leant back on the counter, folding his arms in front of him and gnawing on his knuckles. When Nathan did this it usually meant that there was something else that needed to be said, but he wasn't sure if it was the right time to say it.

Meredith could see the urgency in her husband's eyes, as well as his motions. She didn't need to be a telepath like Matt Parkman to know that something else was troubling Nathan.

"Honey what is it?" she asked, her Southern-accent slipping through.

Nathan sighed, raising his gaze to look toward the ceiling whilst wiping his face with his rough hands. He drew in a long, slow breath and turned to look Meredith in the face. He wasn't sure how she would react, and it troubled him.

"What is it?" Meredith asked again with a whisper, her hand closing around Nathan's wrist.

"Meredith someone's watching us" he replied simply.

Meredith almost didn't want to believe what had just come out of Nathan's mouth. It couldn't be possible. They had done everything, more than enough to make sure their entire family was safe. How could someone be watching them, after all the work they had put into protecting themselves.

"No, no, no. This can't be happening. Tell me it's not true Nathan" Meredith pleaded.

Nathan simply looked at his wife with those intense brown eyes of his. Meredith saw this and could tell that Nathan wasn't lying. Her own blue eyes widened once again and her hold on Nathan's wrist increased. Nathan winced lightly as he began to feel the circulation of blood being cut off from his wrist.

"It's true Meredith. We're being watched" Nathan repeated.

Meredith's eyes quivered and she looked down to Nathan's wrist, slowly letting it go. Nathan took his wrist in his left hand and begun massaging it, feeling the flow of blood beginning once again.

"H-How is this possible Nathan? We've done so much" Meredith asked, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"I got an anonymous email a few weeks ago. I thought it was just some kind of sick joke from one of my co-workers, but as time went on, I begun to see that the threat was real" he explained.

This almost set Meredith off into an emotional spin. She leaned into Nathan held onto him for dear life. She couldn't bear to go through this again. She wanted a normal life. She didn't want a life of running and hiding; the family had done that for too long.

"So what are we going to do about it? I don't wanna run again Nathan, I can't" she said as tears began to slowly run down her cheeks.

Nathan wiped away her tears with the sleeve and held Meredith close to him as her tears slowly left a wet patch on his shirt.

"We've got the rest of the family with us Meredith. I'll round them up this weekend and we'll make plans to keep us safe" he told her.

Meredith sniffled and looked up to Nathan, fear and anxiety painted on her perfect face. Nathan wiped away her tears once and kissed her lips softly. Meredith accepted the kiss with quivering lips and rested her head on Nathan's.

"Please save us Nathan" she pleaded softly.

"Don't you worry, we'll be safe. My brothers will make sure of that" Nathan assured her.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	5. CHAPTER 4: HUNTING SEASON

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys. Sorry for the BIG gap between chapters, I've been quite busy traveling **

**around and writing other interesting pieces of work over the last few weeks. I do however plan to continue**

**this fanfic (as well as develop new AU-based reading material) *wink wink***

**Thanks for continuing to read my interpretation of the Heroes universe. More excitement coming soon.**

**Bradley**

*** * * * * * * ***

**CHAPTER FOUR: HUNTING SEASON**

Time seemed to moving along quite swiftly. The State had issued the inquiry and Nathan seemed to be suffering because of it. In actual fact it wasn't just Nathan who was suffering, but the rest of the Petrelli family had been drawn into the fold with him. This was particularly appealing to Arthur Petrelli, who had managed to remain in the shadows, ever since his son Gabriel tried to kill him. Since that time Arthur had resented Gabriel and didn't want anything to do with him. The middle child had become too soft of a man to even be called his "son". All three of the Petrelli siblings had grown soft according to Arthur. As far as Arthur was concerned, his sons were going to pay for betraying him and his "cause", and what better way to do that then attack Nathan, possibly the strongest of them all. For what Nathan lacked in his abilities, he made up for in his character. But from Arthur's perspective, even Nathan's character was flawed.

"There's a call on line one for you" the secretary said through the loud speaker.

Arthur picked up the phone and activated the line, "Arthur Petrelli speaking"

"Ah Mister Petrelli. How are we faring today?" asked the voice on the other side of the phone.

"A lot better. Have you been able to push our plan any further?" Arthur inquired.

The voice on the line chuckled deceitfully, "The message has been passed on as you requested Mister Petrelli."

"And neither of them suspects a thing?" the older Petrelli smirked.

"There's nothing they can do to trace us at all. So everything is going as planned" the voice replied.

"Good. Make sure your unit is ready for the next phase of our operation" Arthur took a breath. "I want my family to realize who their dealing with."

"We'll be awaiting your instructions Sir," the voice said. With that the call was ended.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head. Everything was working out to his advantage. Soon the Petrelli family would fall, and he would be the only one standing.

* * * * * * * *

The wind blew through Claire's sandy blonde hair as she exited her car and walked towards the mall. A smile appeared on her face as she eyed the stores around her. Finally a day when she could feel like a "normal" teenager, if that was even possible. Her family's life had become complicated once again. They all had to be on their guard, careful of every move they made, everywhere they looked and cautious of those they spoke too. Claire felt so restricted. She didn't want to be a caged animal anymore; she wanted to live her life…or what was left of it.

She spotted one of favorite stores and walked in. she allowed her hands to hang by her side, with her fingertips spread out, allowing the various fabrics to brush passed her. It felt so good just to be out of the house and in a place where she felt like a young woman who was free. And in Claire's case she would remain her youthful looks for the rest of her life, thanks to her advanced regeneration.

As she stood in the dressing room, looking at the top she had just put on, she heard her cell phone buzzing away in her bag. Claire quickly bent down to pick it up, flipping the phone open. It was a text message.

"_**Where are you – Mom"**_

Claire smiled to herself and typed a message to her mother. She needed Meredith to know that she was okay, and if anything happened she would get out of there as soon as possible.

"Okay, back to me-time" Claire said to herself, as she eyed the top in the mirror. She looked at the top carefully paying attention to the color and scrunched up her nose, "Something a little brighter" she commented. She stepped out of the dressing room and went to retrieve another top, as well as some "extra" items.

* * * * * * * *

Meredith said in her office reading over some proposal until she heard her phone buzzing on the desk. She picked it up and read the message:

"_**It's all good Mom. I make a move if I have too – Claire"**_

Meredith gave a sigh of relief upon reading her daughter's reply. She had been tremendously worried for Claire's safety and she wanted to know she would be all right. Meredith rubbed her forehead and rested her head in her hands, pushing the hair away from her face. _Why is this happening again? _Meredith thought to herself. Two years of happiness wasn't enough for her, she wanted a lifetime of happiness, and protection; not hiding and running for their lives.

As Meredith directed her gaze back to the pages in front of her she heard her phone ring. The sharp tone of the phone broke the silence and Meredith's concentration. She whipped her head up in shock, running a hand through her hair and then putting it to her chest as she calmed herself. "Please keep my baby safe" she said, sending out a quiet prayer for her daughter.

"Are you doin okay?" a female colleague asked Meredith as she passed by her office.

Meredith looked up to the woman and smiled, "Yeah I'm fine."

"You sure? Cause you've seemed a little on edge over the passed few weeks. I hope these proposal's aren't becoming to much for you" Nancy commented.

Meredith shook her head, keeping the soft smile upon her lips, "I can handle the proposals; they're not a problem."

"Then what's goin on with you?" Nancy asked. She looked at Meredith with soft eyes. The poor woman seemed to be under some kind of stress, and was clearly showing.

The blonde woman's head pulsed with agony. Meredith wanted to tell Nancy _everything_, just to get it off her chest. But she knew it wasn't such a wise idea. Her family's lives were already in danger and she couldn't raise the level of risk by bringing someone else into the fold, it couldn't be done.

"So are you gonna say anything?" Nancy asked. She was doing the twenty-questions thing again. Meredith had to divert her attention, or push her away intentionally, and that meant lying just to cover up the truth.

She couldn't believe she was about to do this again, but it had to be done for her family to remain safe. "I'm doin fine Nancy. Things are just a bit busy within the Petrelli clan at the moment" she smiled.

Nancy stood there looking at the blonde woman who sat behind the table and pulled her lips into a smile, "Well I'm glad that everything is okay. But remember…don't ever hesitate to call me if you ever need a hand with anything" she said.

Meredith nodded "We'll do" she replied, her southern accent slipping through. The two women exchanged glances as Nancy left the room, closing the door behind her. Meredith watched the brunette woman walk further down into the office space and she threw her head back, allowing it to sit of the headrest. She stared up at the ceiling wondering what was going to happen next. That had been her thought process for the last few years, always thinking ahead of time, wanting to know what was on the horizon so she could prepare herself for it.

"_Just calm down. Everything's gonna be fine. Peter and Gabriel have everything under control_" Meredith told herself. She glanced down at the papers once more and pushed them aside, resting her head in her hands. She just wanted to day to end.

* * * * * * * *

Almost three hours had passed since Claire had first began her time of retail-therapy, and it seemed to be working. She hadn't come across anything suspicious or mildly dangerous. "_Danger must've taken a day off_" she thought to herself as she sat down on the bench near the water fountain. She laid a few bags next to her and took a long sip of juice from her cup. Claire briefly looked over to her bags, which almost seemed to be overflowing with brand new goods. She smiled to herself, happy with the purchases that had been made. One good thing about being the daughter of a well-known politician was that they had more than enough money to live a comfortable life. But that didn't mean that Claire was spoilt or that she had been given the "silver spoon", like her father.

Once again the young, indestructible woman sighed upon thinking about her father. It seemed now, more than ever, he was given his life for his family. Nathan had done this many times over, but this time it was different. In a world where people like them were now known for having abilities, Nathan, Peter and other like them had to go to great lengths just to keep their kind alive and well. The general public still hadn't come to accept that although Claire, and those like her, had extraordinary abilities; they were still _people_, just like everyone else.

As she sat there Claire's cell phone sung it's song and vibrated in her bag. She picked it up and answered, "This is Claire."

"Claire it's Peter, it's everything okay?" her uncle asked on the other side of the line.

Claire's eyebrows furrowed a little upon hearing his concern, "Everything's fine Peter, I'm just here at the mall."

Peter's eyebrows also furrowed as he begun to hear the thoughts of men, who seemed to be making their way into the mall. He had been in Costa Verde for most of the day, making plans with Gabriel and he had been fortunate enough to be passing by the mall, at the moment of their phone conversation. "Claire you need to make a move now."

"Peter what's the problem?" Claire demanded.

He didn't want to startle his niece, although Peter knew that after so many years, it was almost impossible to make the young woman jump. He wiped a hand across his face, putting the phone back to his mouth "Where are you now?"

Claire quickly looked around, assessing her surroundings, "I-uh-I'm near the water fountain on the ground floor" she explained.

"Are they any exits near you?" Peter asked.

She made another check, her blue eyes scanning the area. Finally she spotted an emergency exit not too far from her. "There's an emergency exit close by."

This brought hope to Peter, "Go to the exit now. I'm not sure how much time you may have left until those men catch up to you."

Claire became confused "Peter where are you?" she asked.

"I'm close by. I'll track you via your thoughts. Just make sure you keep yourself open okay" he instructed.

"Okay" Claire nodded.

Just then four men rounded a corner and begun to make their way towards the center of the mall, where the water fountain stood.

Claire felt her heart skip a beat in fear. "They're heading this way" she said quietly into the mouthpiece.

Peter's antennas went on full alert. "Claire get out of there, quickly!" he urged.

Without hesitation Claire ended the call and casually picked up her bags and headed through the crowd, towards the emergency exit. She briefly glanced over her shoulder from time to time to make sure she was still in the clear. The men continued to make their advance on her without ceasing. Upon reaching the exit Claire tried opening the door, but the latch wouldn't budge. The young woman looked over her shoulder to see the men beginning to push through the crowd.

-_Peter…they're coming. The door won't open-_ she said mentally.

Peter instantly picked up on Claire's thoughts and ran through the underground parking lot towards the exit. He instinctively raised a hand and the door opened. Once inside the corridor he continued running.

Claire looked over her shoulder again to see the four men coming closer to her. All she could do was hope that the crowd would somehow stop them from completing their mission.

- -"_We've got the girl in our sights Sir. Continuing to advance_"- - one of the men said, as he spoke into the small microphone that was near his mouth.

Claire's eyes widened upon seeing her assailants closing in on her. She was defenseless. Just then the door burst open behind her and she spun around to see Peter behind her. "Thank God" she said.

Before anyone could make a substantial movement, Peter grabbed his niece, and her bags and pushed them both off the ground, flying towards the underground parking lot.

One of the men cursed openly, putting a hand to his mouth - -"_They got away Sir_"- -

The voice on the other side of the line cursed at his associate, - -"_How?_"- -

- -"_It was a Flyer Sir_"- - the man answered.

- -"_Which one?_"- - the voice inquired, highly annoyed.

- -"_I think it was…one of the Petrellis_"- -

The voice of the other side of the line cursed once more, - -"_Track them, then bag them_"- -

"You heard the man. Let's go" the leader told his colleagues. With the order in place, the men quickly made their way out of the mall. Upon exiting the complex the men looked around, they even scanned the skies for any sign of Peter, but found nothing.

- -"_We've got a negative on the Flyer Sir. He's nowhere in sight_"- - one of the men said into the commlink.

* * * * * * * *

Peter and Claire landed softly onto the ground below and he ushered his niece into the house. Peter took a quick look around and then locked the door behind them.

"What the hell was that about?" Claire asked, almost heaving for air as she entered the kitchen. She turns around to see Elle behind her, who seems to be just as shocked by her nieces sudden appearance.

"Claire what happened to you?" Elle asked, noticing the young woman disturbed expression and messy hair. Just then she saw Peter coming up behind Claire. He too appeared war-torn. "Okay someone's gonna have to explain" Elle said, folding her arms across her chest.

Claire looked to Peter and lightly nudged him. Peter reluctantly gave in. "I was with Gabriel today, we were making contingency plans when I sensed that something was wrong. I saw a vision of Claire at the mall, so I went there to make sure she was okay…"

"Were you okay?" Elle asked, directing her gaze to Claire.

"Yeah I was fine until those agents came" Claire replied.

Elle narrowed her eyes and turned her to look at Peter, "Continue."

Peter sighed upon seeing his sister in-law's eyes. "I picked up on the men's thoughts and went in there to save Claire. And we got out just in time" he told her.

Elle didn't have to be a telepath to know that Peter would've flown her out of the situation. Their current state told her that much. She grunted in frustration and clenched a fist, walking around to the sink to get a drink of water.

Peter and Claire exchanged worried glances at Elle's actions. She was becoming more and more agitated as time went on, but who could blame her with the current predicament they had on their hands.

"So they didn't see where you went?" Elle asked, drinking from the glass.

"They didn't have time. We escaped through the underground parking lot." Peter noticed Elle glare of disapproval and stepped up to her. "Elle I knew what I was doing, I'm not timid little Peter anymore."

Elle raised her eyes at her brother in-law, putting the glass up to her lips once more, still annoyed.

"Well at least they didn't see us, which means we're still in the clear" Claire commented, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. She looked at her aunt and uncle, who clearly seemed to be ready to face off against the enemy, or each other. Claire stepped in between, putting her hands up.

"C'mon guys just relax. They don't even know we're here."

"But they'll soon find out. And whoever they're working for will be sure to send a team out here to inspect the area" Elle said, frowning even more now. "Smells like _Company _tactics to me."

"Pineheart and Primatech are long gone. And even if someone had stuck around, how could they recruit so quickly?" Claire asked, her eyes beginning to widen.

"I dunno Claire." Peter answered, looking to Elle. "But we knew this was gonna happen sooner or later. And now it's time to put our plan into action."

"What do you mean Peter?" Claire asked, inching closer to him.

"We're gonna show them that the Petrelli is not a group of people you wanna mess with. Which means utilizing _all _of our abilities" Peter told her.

"And what about my dad. What happens with him?" Claire queried.

"It's gonna take all of us to take down this threat. And that means getting Nathan in on the deal" he said.

"What makes you think Nathan will agree?" Elle asked.

Just then footsteps could be heard entering the living room of the house. "Nathan will agree no matter what. He took up the fight last time, so what makes you think he won't do it again" Gabriel said as he entered the space.

"Are you so sure about that?" Elle asked, turning to look toward her husband.

"I'm sure he'll agree to our plan once he hears about how Peter rushed off to save his daughter" Gabriel smiled.

"What the…How did you know?" Elle exclaimed, stepping closer to him.

"I was with Peter all day making our plans. Didn't he tell you?" Gabriel narrowed his eyes before looking to his younger brother.

"They only got here a few minutes ago, and after prodding here and there he finally told me what you had both been up too" Elle bit back. She clearly wasn't happy with their current situation. All she wanted was to live in peace, but it didn't look like she was going to get her wish anytime soon.

"So I assume you called him" Peter remarked as he too came into contact with Gabriel. He saw the smile of confidence on his brother's face and welcomed it.

"Let's just say that we're fortunate to already have Claire with us" Gabriel smiled at his niece. "Nathan and Meredith will be here in the next few hours. So we better get ready."

Peter nodded and put a hand on Claire's shoulder. "C'mon, you better go get cleaned up."

Claire nodded to her uncle. Elle took her by the hand, leading her upstairs. "You can borrow something of mine if you want" she offered.

"It's all good Aunt Elle. I got some goodies right here" Claire replied, showing her the bags on the floor behind them.

A bright smile came upon Elle's face and she clapped her hands together. "Come and show me these goodies." She ushered the young woman upstairs, before glancing back to the Petrelli men who stood in the living room.

"Gabriel, I hope you're right about Nathan comin' onboard with the plan. He's got enough on his plate already" Peter warned.

Gabriel just smirked at his brother's comment, "Peter trust me when I say that Nathan's gonna help us. He's done it before and I know he'll do it" Gabriel said.

"And what if he doesn't huh? What then?" Peter asked, narrowing his eyes.

"We'll just have to make sure that big brother stays outta trouble" Gabriel smiled. He looked his brother over, running a hand through his own thick hair of messy hair "You better go get Eden" he advised.

Peter nodded and headed out the rear of the house. Gabriel nodded to his brother, seeing him jet off into the sky. As he stood there looking up at the sky, Gabriel couldn't help but to ponder on what Peter had said. Would Nathan come alongside them and join the fight, or would he resist?

Gabriel shook his head as he tried not to preconceive his oldest brother's motions. He hated not having Matt Parkman's ability. If he did then it would've been easier to persuade him. Or he could just get Eden to do the work for him.

_~Don't even think like that~_ Gabriel told himself mentally. A sigh ejected itself from his lips as he headed inside. He needed to clear his head before tonight. They had to join together, all of them. And Gabriel was determined to make that a reality.

_TO BE CONTINUED..._


	6. CHAPTER 5: A FAMILY AFFAIR

**CHAPTER FIVE: A FAMILY AFFAIR**

The smell of a pot roast, fresh potatoes and steamed vegetables filled the air as Meredith went about cooking dinner as usual. She thought she'd cook a hearty meal, since Nathan's brothers and their girls were coming by. Originally the plan had been to meet at Gabriel and Elle's, but Meredith insisted the pair join her, Nathan, Peter and Eden over on the East Coast. At first Elle wasn't so sure about it, as she had never experienced flight before, but Gabriel had agreed to Meredith's invitation. Elle hadn't been so excited, but Gabriel assured her that the flight over would be fine, all she had to do was dress warm, as it was beginning to get colder on the east coast.

Meredith smirked to herself as she could still hear Elle's girl-like protests to Gabriel while she was talking to him on the phone. For a woman in her late twenties, she was still a young-girl at heart. And Meredith actually liked that part of Elle's personality, especially since her and Claire were now so close as aunt and niece. As she resumed cooking, moving from pot-to-pot checking on the food, Meredith couldn't help but to be anxious about the night ahead. She didn't want to over-obsess about the situation, but she couldn't help it. What was about to happen tonight would be another major turning point in their lives, and she didn't know if she was completely ready for it.

"Mmm-Mmm, that smells incredibly delightful" commented Nathan as he walked into the kitchen, affectionately kissing his wife on the cheek, whilst wrapping his strong arms around her waist.

Meredith smiling widely and rested her head back in the nook of Nathan's neck. All of a sudden her nerves seemed to settle down, although she knew the nauseating feeling had completely dissipated. "And how are _you _doing Mister Petrelli?" she asked.

Nathan smiled, looking down at his wife "I'm doin a lot better now" he replied, kissing Meredith's full lips. He allowed the kiss to linger for a little bit, savouring the moment.

At that moment Meredith almost felt her knees buckle like a schoolgirl, but Nathan quickly caught her. She blushed as he helped her to her feet.

"Still falling for me are you Miss Gordon?" Nathan asked, raising his eyebrows and pouting his lips.

Meredith turned around to face her husband, draping her arms over his shoulders, "Meredith Gordon left the premises a while ago _sugar_" she said, adding some southern flair.

This caused a broad, yet goofy smile to crawl upon Nathan's face, "Oh so that's how we're gonna play" he joked. Suddenly Meredith found herself being picked up and then lifted off the ground as Nathan activates his flight.

Her eyes went wide as her husband floated a few feet off the ground. "What are you doing?" she remarked, playfully hitting him. Nathan just smirked at her, continuing to float.

Claire jumped down the stairs and followed her nose towards the kitchen, where she found her parents floating and laughing like newlyweds. "Umm I didn't know that use of abilities was allowed in this house" she joked, narrowing her eyes at the older couple.

Nathan slowly lowered him and Meredith to the ground, straightening himself. His gaze met his daughter's and he looked at her inquisitively. "Remind me who made up that rule."

Claire rolled her eyes "You did Dad" she said, as she walked over to wrap her slender arms around her father's waist.

Nathan accepted his daughter's gesture with open arms and looked back to Meredith, who had tapped his shoulder earlier.

"You better go get cleaned up honey, the others will be _flying _in soon" Meredith said, adding a pun to Nathan's ability which had now been acquired by "both" his brothers.

Nathan shook his head lightly, giving his wife a crooked smile, "When are they getting here?"

"If I know Gabriel and Peter, they'll use that ability of yours to their advantage" she said, as she checked on the pots one last time. Meredith spun around to meet Nathan's gaze and tilted her head lightly "So you better get your butt into gear" she winked.

Without another word Nathan made his way upstairs to get ready for the night ahead. He only had a brief idea of what would be the topic of the night's discussion, but what he didn't know was his brother's plans. He shook his head lightly, running a hand through his hair and stepped into the shower.

Downstairs in the dining room, Claire went about setting the table for the family. "Do you think Dad will be able to handle what Gabriel has to say?" Claire asked her mother.

Meredith sighed and shrugged. "To be honest, I dunno baby. But what I do know is that your father will figure out a way to conduct himself in this situation." She continued handing Claire the utensils and other necessities for dinner, "Your father always find the resolve in tough times, and I know he'll do the same thing this time."

* * * * * * * *

There was a knock at the door, which Claire answered in record time. Upon opening the door she saw Gabriel and Elle standing there with a ready-made pudding.

Claire quickly took a look outside the house and quickly ushered them in. As she closed the door Gabriel turned around, looking at her, a slight frown upon his face.

"What was that all about?" he asked, looking his niece in the eyes.

"You do realize that you could've been seen out there," Claire answered.

Gabriel just smiled at her, running a hand down the side of her face "We were fine. No one saw us, or even noticed two people flying above them" he said.

"But…" Claire began.

"But nothing. We're okay" Gabriel smiled.

Claire's shoulders sunk as Gabriel put an arm around her. The two of them walked to the kitchen, where they found Meredith Elle beginning to gather the food. "Ah good you're here. Mind taking this?" Elle asked her husband with a smile.

There wasn't a time when Gabriel could resist the charms of his wife. Elle still seemed to have an affect on him, and it didn't look like she would let up at all. That's what he loved about her. Even after the pain they had put each other through; Elle still loved him unconditionally.

Gabriel took the bowl from her and steadied it in his hands. The intense heat began to give off the unpleasant stench of burnt flesh. Elle's eyes went wide and she quickly rushed to get a towel for Gabriel.

Meredith stopped Elle short, placing warm hand on her shoulder. Elle's body relaxed as she felt Meredith's breath on her ear. "You can thank your niece that your husband isn't hurt so easily" she smiled. Elle glanced over her shoulder, reciprocating the gesture.

Soon enough the table was set and everyone was ready to eat. Nathan sat at the head of the table as usual, with his wife at his side. Claire sat next to her mother, while Gabriel and Elle were seated across from them.

"Where are Peter and Eden?" Claire asked, looking at her watch.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," replied her mother.

Just at that moment, in typical Peter-fashion, there was a swoop at the rear of the house. The two longhaired brunettes entered and made their way to the dining room, where they could hear the chatter of their family members. As usual they were dressed in dark jeans and their long dark coats. Eden always made sure to "spice things up", and this time she had, by adding a touch of blood red, which was the color of the sweater underneath her coat. Peter on the other hand wore a plain grey T-shirt under his coat. The pair always seemed so mysterious, and almost rogue-like. But that's how they had always been since their days as Fugitives.

"Jeez Pete what took you so long?" Nathan asked as his brother and fiancée entered the dining room.

"I think JFK decided to schedule some flights tonight," Peter replied, rubbing his arms "so Eden and I had to take the _higher ground_."

Everyone at the table just looked on as Peter and Eden seated themselves, making sure they stayed close together to keep warm.

Meredith looked and then and instinctively held a hand out toward the young couple. A small flame burst forth from her hand, to which Peter and Eden welcomed his heat.

"Thank you" Eden said sweetly. She savoured the warmth and looked to Elle, "Busy day?"

Elle shrugged "Mmm, normal to say the least" she answered after swallowing some food.

Just like the mother she was, Meredith went around the table to grab Peter and Eden's plates, dishing dinner for them. "Honey you don't need too do that" Nathan remarked.

"Nathan look at them, the poor souls were almost frozen to death. The least I can do is fix them up with a good meal" Meredith smiled, bending down to kiss Peter and Eden through their hair.

The conversations and laughter continued until Meredith and Elle went to retrieve dessert. Gabriel glanced over to Peter and the two locked eyes. Even though he couldn't read minds, Gabriel still knew he could communicate with his younger brother.

_~We've gotta tell him now Peter~ _Gabriel thought.

Peter picked up on his brother's mental conversation and continued looking at him, ~_So how are you gonna break it to him?~ _Peter asked.

~_I'll do it gently~ _Gabriel replied.

Claire looked at her uncles with a frown, to which Peter put a finger to his lips, signalling for her not to mention anything. Claire gave a light nod and begun to take the dishes off the table, carrying them to the kitchen.

At that moment Nathan noticed his brothers who were still glancing at each other. He tilted his head, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I thought you guys were too old for staring contests?"

Peter looked over to Nathan, who stared him straight in the face. The oldest Petrelli shifted his gaze between his two younger brothers. He had a feeling something was going on, but he wanted them to break the news to him.

Gabriel looked to Peter, who shot him a glare. Gabriel sighed, his physical appearance showing his anxiety.

Nathan now held his gaze on the middle child, "What's goin on Gabriel?" he asked simply.

Gabriel took a breath and rested his elbows on the table. This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done sooner or later. "It's about the inquiry Nathan" Gabriel started.

"What about it?" Nathan asked, "I'm no stranger to the politics within politics, you should know that" he smirked, taking a sip of wine.

"We know your capable at handle the political barrage Nathan, but it's not that…" Peter added.

"So what is it then?" Nathan asked, now leaning on the table.

Gabriel and Peter looked at each other and Peter gave his brother the signal. Nathan looked between his brothers, his eyebrows furrowing, "What?"

"We think someone's ordered a hit on you" Gabriel told him.

Nathan leaned back in his chair, allowing warm breath to be exhaled from his lungs. He wasn't ready to believe his brothers just yet. Similar things of this nature had occurred before, and every time Nathan was able to handle it. First it was the incident with Niki Sanders, then the matters with Linderman, then his election in New York, and those were just some of the issues he had to attend too. As he looked at his brothers Nathan began to see the desperation in their eyes. They were always such intense individuals, especially Gabriel. Always wanting to be the one to protect him and Peter, always jumping out into the mess without warning. And now, as adults he wanted to do it again. Nathan rubbed his face and gave his attention to his brothers, waving a hand, signalling them to go on with their explanation.

Gabriel ran a hand through his hair, feeling the nerves creeping up on him, "Okay" he began, "I got an anonymous email a few weeks ago saying that we were being watched." Before Nathan could protest Gabriel put a hand up and continued. "I didn't think much of the email until I looked back at the newspaper article about you, and I couldn't help but notice that the inquiry was about the operation two years ago" he explained.

"You know the media are always talkin trash about us" Nathan remarked.

"But the email…the article, it just seems a little too coincidental" Gabriel said,, leaning back in his seat. "Tell us Nathan…what's goin on?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nathan glanced to Peter who just reciprocated Gabriel's expression. He knew he'd have to tell them; cause there was no way of getting passed a Petrelli when they knew the family was involved in something controversial. Nathan took the last of the wine into his mouth and wipe himself clean, savouring the bitterness of the liquid.

"You're right, the inquiry is about the Operation and everything that happened. They wanna know the details cause…" Nathan stopped right there. He didn't want to say the rest, in case there would be a blow out. And with his brothers that was a big possibility.

"They wanna know the details about what?" Peter asked. Nathan's eye kept darting between the two men who sat at the table with him. He then began to feel the probing of Peter's telepathy gnawing at his mind. Nathan shook his head to resist it.

"Tell us Nathan" Gabriel said sternly. The four women entered the room to see the three Petrelli men caught in a tense moment. Each of the women looked around, unsure of the situation.

"Is everything okay in here?" asked Elle. Gabriel nodded. "It's fine. Nathan was just about to tell us some _important _information." Elle and Eden immediately sat down with their significant others, while Claire and Meredith joined Nathan.

Nathan nervously looked around at his family. It was crunch time. They _had _to know. "The government wants to know about those with abilities. And I told them everything was contained in the Primatech files."

The feeling of shock quietly reverberation around the table as each of the let Nathan's words sink in. Gabriel sat there clenching his fist, trying to contain himself as images of the email and the Operation flashed through his mind, "Why didn't you tell us this before Nathan?"

"I didn't want you to get worried," Nathan said. Meredith quickly grabbed his hand, ready for the onslaught.

"You should've told us" Eden said, "You should've at least said something." Nathan grimaced for a moment, "I know, I know and I'm sorry."

"Well it looks like we'll have to put our plan into action sooner than we thought" Gabriel said. The family looked at him, Nathan was especially shocked, "What are you talking about?"

Gabriel looked at each of them, nodding to those who knew his plan. Nathan, Meredith and Claire were the only ones who were still oblivious to it. "We're gonna have to shut this issue down before it tears us apart."

"And how do you propose we do that Gabriel?" Meredith asked, shooting up straight in his seat.

Gabriel just looked at everyone, his expression more serious than usual. "We've got an unknown person possibly looking to kill us, as well as a government who wants to get rid of us. And all because we're different."

"But we don't even know who sent that email" Nathan shot back.

"Well whoever it was obviously wants us dead. Otherwise they wouldn't be watching us" Gabriel exclaimed. The two men continued looking at each other with intensity, until Nathan had a mental flashback about the email he had received a few weeks ago.

Peter put a hand to his head and his eyes went wide as he picked up on Nathan's mental activity. He look at his brother in shock "You-you got the same email?" Nathan sat there, disgrace painting his face, "I did."

The family looked at him, now more disturbed than before. "How come you didn't tell us?" Elle asked. Nathan sighed, tapping on the table in annoyance, "I didn't tell you becau-because I wanted to protect you."

"Well your efforts didn't succeed very much" Gabriel said. He couldn't believe how twisted this situation was becoming, Not only were they being targeted from two angles, but it felt like their family was falling apart only after they had come back together. Gabriel scratched his head and looked at Nathan intently. Meanwhile Elle continued to sit there in shock, Claire was unsure about her family's future, Eden and Peter tried to decipher Nathan's motives, and Meredith silently prayed for everything to return to normal. And then there was Nathan, who sat at the head of the table, trying to search for resolution.

The atmosphere was awfully tense for a family gathering. But in the Petrelli family, their gatherings hadn't always been so blissful. "I'm sorry everyone" Nathan said softly. "I-I'm sorry for bringing you all into my mess again." Nathan could feel tears welling up from deep within him. Meredith somehow sensed this and grabbed a hold of his hand, stroking it tenderly.

Both Nathan's siblings and their partners felt the authenticity of Nathan's apology. Nathan hung his head for a brief moment, wiping the tears from his eyes as they tried to creep out. As he rose his head Meredith kissed him sweetly on the cheek.

"Thank you for your honesty" she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

Gabriel decided to bring the conversation back to its prior subject, as he felt it needed to be addressed. Nathan could see this in his brother's eyes and cleared his throat, "So what do you propose we do?"

Gabriel smiled at Nathan, "Well I was thinkin we could take them down…as a family…all of us." Peter and Eden's eyes darted between Gabriel and Nathan, anxiously waiting for Nathan's reply.

Meredith looked to Nathan and squeezed his hand "We need you" she said quietly.

Nathan was now in conflict with himself. He didn't want to just jump into Gabriel's plan and put them all at risk, yet he would do anything to protect his family.

"What do ya big brother?" Gabriel asked with a smile.

"You do realize we can't just go busting out the abilities like we once did" Nathan warned. Gabriel had known that would be Nathan's reaction, and he wasn't going to let him sink back into the routines of old.

"Nathan, we _have _to do this. We have to use our abilities. Without them our plans will all be wit" Gabriel stated.

"Well wit always worked for us in the past. By getting our abilities involved we've always seem to dig a pit for ourselves" Nathan replied.

"But _these _abilities are what have helped us get out of those pits. They're part of us Nathan, we can't just hide them away" Eden said.

"Eden's right. We've never exactly been normal anyway" Elle added. Elle gave Meredith a smile of hope as she looked to the other end of the table.

Claire looked at her father, placing a hand on his shoulder. "They're all right Dad. We can't keep hiding that part of us. I mean, the nation, and the rest of the world already knows we exist" he told him.

"But we don't need to be hunted and treated like terrorists. I already put you all through that experience and I swore that I'd never do it again" Nathan said. He almost had to plead with the group to entice them not to go forward with the plan. But by all accounts they seemed resolute.

Peter looked over at his brother, sensing his personal anguish through his thoughts. He ran a hand through his thick long hair and rested his hands on the table, which Eden quickly covered with her own. "Nathan we have to do this. It's for the safety and protection of all of us here, as well as countless others with abilities" he explained.

"I know that Pete" Nathan replied. "But you realize how dangerous this is for us:" he said, looking at the family who surrounded him. "I won't be part of it. I'll stay on the outside if needed" he said, shaking his head.

Gabriel looked at him with disapproval. "You're the leader of this family, its Protector," he said. He leant forward a little more, staring right at Nathan. Nathan could swear that Gabriel was almost looking into his soul, but he held his stance.

"I gave you my answer" Nathan stated.

"Well we're not gonna accept it, you wanna know why" Gabriel queried. Nathan sat there, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

Gabriel swallowed and looked to the rest of his family, who all directly their attention to Nathan. "We're a family Nathan, a complete unit. We need _everyone _onboard with this plan. Because we're a lot stronger together than we are apart," Gabriel told him, a small smile creeping upon his lips.

His brother's point had now been made, and he had the rest of the family backing him up. Nathan seemed to be the only one who was undecided. He understood where Gabriel was coming from, but he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. It sounded crazy, but it also sounded wise. Nathan sat there biting on his knuckles as the others waited for an answer.

Nathan sucked up his pride and scanned the table, looking each other his family members in the face. What Gabriel had said was correct; he was the Protector and Leader of the family, and he needed to be with them to make sure they all survived what they were about to endure.

"I'm in" Nathan said simply, "And this, it's for the long haul."

Meredith and Claire smiled brightly, embracing Nathan from each side and complimenting their affections with a kiss on his cheeks. Nathan welcomed the gesture and put his arms around his two favorite ladies.

Eden wrapped her arms around Peter, hugging his tightly. Peter looked to Nathan and smiled "I'm glad you decided to come with us" he said.

"You guys should know I'd do anything for you" Nathan said.

"Oh believe us…we know" Gabriel smiled. He then felt Elle snuggle into him.

"I love you" Elle said softly as she looked up at her husband.

"And I love you" Gabriel replied.

The family resumed to sit at the table embracing each other and commemorating the decision that had been made. Even amongst the light festivities, the Petrelli family were yet to discover the long road ahead of them. They knew that what they were about to do wasn't going to be easy, yet they didn't understand the dangers that were soon to face them.

"Well-well, look at the time. I think we should get going" Elle said, finished her tea. At that moment Meredith almost jumped out of her seat. Eden gave a small peep upon seeing her future sister in-law jump.

"Ya'll can stay here tonight. How bout that?" Meredith smiled.

"Honey, are you sure we'll have the space?" Nathan asked, looking at his brothers and their girls.

Meredith giggled "Of course. We've got _more _than enough space."

"She's right you know" Claire said, eating the last piece of pudding.

"You guys know where the rooms are. You can go when you're ready, but as for me, I'm out. Goodnight" Nathan said. The rest of the family waved to him as he and Meredith exited the room.

"I think that ended really well" Eden commented with a vibrant smile.

"It did indeed" Peter said, "Now all we have to do is recon" he added, looking to Gabriel.

Gabriel nodded at his brother's comment, "We'll start tomorrow."

"Are you serious?" Elle asked. Meanwhile Claire remained at the table, listening in to what the others were saying.

"I'm more than sure Elle. We need make sure we know exactly what we're up against" Gabriel answered. "We _need _to be ready."

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	7. CHAPTER 6: RISKING FOR OUR BELOVED

**CHAPTER SIX: RISKING FOR OUR BELOVED**

The sound of pots, pans and cutlery filled the kitchen as the ladies had commenced breakfast. Laughter filled the space and slowly filtered upstairs where the two oldest Petrellis resided. Nathan was still in bed and stirred as he heard the commotion coming from downstairs. Meanwhile Gabriel was in the bathroom cleaning up. And as for Peter, he was out on the balcony looking towards the Capitol.

"C'mon boys…_time for breakfast_" Eden called out with her dramatic undertone.

Meredith and Elle looked toward the pixie-like woman who just smiled back at them. "Are you sure _that _was necessary?" Meredith asked as her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

As the three women stood in the kitchen, the sound of footsteps could be heard as the Petrelli men made their presence known. Each of them went to the love of their lives, kissing them.

"Trust me Meredith," Eden said, snuggling into Peter "It was necessary."

Nathan allowed the scent of fresh bacon, pancakes, eggs and waffles to fill his nose as he looked around at the array of food that had been supplied for them. "Well I haven't gotten up that fast for breakfast in a long time. What was the rush?" Nathan yawned.

Eden flashed a smile to her future brother in-law, basking in the efficiency of her ability. Peter glanced down at her and quickly read her memories, quickly flashing back to a few moments before he and his brother had entered the kitchen.

"I think _someone _was just eager to get some breakfast" Peter remarked, shifting his gaze between Nathan and Eden. Eden turned around to look at her fiancée, "What?"

"You know" Peter replied. Eden pushed herself up on her toes, attempting to look Peter straight in the face.

"Why do you have to dig? All we wanted was for you guys to come down for breakfast," she told him.

"Great way to show it too" Gabriel winked as Elle sat on his lap, feeding him a stray pancake.

"Well everyone dish up before it all gets cold" Meredith urged lightly.

This was the first time in a long time that the Petrellis had shared breakfast together, let alone stayed in the same house together. It was comforting and a breath of fresh air. Nathan especially welcomed the feeling of relief as he watched his family go about breakfast. This was what he had always wanted, happiness in the Petrelli clan and a sense of peace.

As breakfast slowly drew to a close, Gabriel who always seemed to be looking forward confronted his older brother regarding the "decision" they had made the previous night.

"It's Saturday today" Gabriel said.

Nathan looked over to his brother as they now sat in the living room, ready to see another day. Gabriel kept his gaze on Nathan for a while until he cracked.

"I'm not Peter, just tell me what you're thinkin" Nathan inquired.

Gabriel ruffled up his thick brown hair, making it appear even more unruly than before. He wanted to make sure his words came out right, so Nathan wouldn't object what he was about to say.

"The offices are normally closed on Saturdays now, which means we could go scouting for information" Gabriel said simply.

Nathan looked up from the paper he had been reading and folded it, placing it on the coffee table in the middle of the small room. "That's a no-go from me Gabe."

"Why?" Gabriel asked, leaning forward on the couch. "There won't be many people around, and we could get into your office without anyone even knowing we were there."

"But it's also broad daylight out there, and we've got security on the premises" Nathan explained. His brother's idea sounded like a good one, but not a wise one.

Gabriel allowed himself to fall back in the couch, slightly frustrated. "So what do you supposed we do?"

"How about heading over there at night?" Elle suggested, walking into the living room. She smiled at the men in the room and took her place close to her husband, looking up at him and waiting for a reply.

"I think that might work out in our favor" Nathan nodded, taking a sip of his coffee.

Gabriel didn't want to ask, but his lips persisted, "How is it better for us? Security detail will still be out by the time the sun goes down. And you know how tight security is these days."

He did have a point. Security in almost every facet of American life had been upgraded simply for the safety of those who had abilities. It was clear to the three of them that they needed to be precise with the execution of their plan.

Nathan sat there tapping his fingers against the arm of the chair he sat in, thinking of a solution. Then I came to him, an idea that just had to work. "Okay here's an idea," he began.

Gabriel and Elle gave Nathan their full attention, as did Peter, Eden and Meredith who had just entered the room. Nathan looked around at the people who were there, Claire was the only one missing, but he was glad, because he needed to protect her now more than ever.

"What's this plan I overheard?" Meredith asked. Gabriel turned to her, "We were just getting to that."

Nathan took a breath, making sure his thoughts were in order, so everyone understood their roles, as it was going to take all of them to pull this off.

"At about seven o'clock the security at my office takes a forty-five minute to rotate shifts and re-assess security measures. We could use that time to get into my office and the office of my superiors to look for information" Nathan explained.

It sounded like a great plan, a plan that could work very well in their favor, yet there was only one problem and as usual Peter would be the one to point it out.

"But what about the security detail, won't they have someone stepping in for those forty-five minutes? And don't forget the cameras" Peter told them.

Gabriel looked from his youngest brother to his oldest one. Nathan rubbed his chin and looked up to Peter, who was sitting on the edge of the couch with Eden safely in his arms. Trust Peter to always state the obvious.

"Well then, it looks like we'll have to utilize every resource we have available to us" he said looking around, then fixing his brown eyes on his brothers, "And that means _every _resource."

Peter and Gabriel exchanged glances. They knew Nathan was counting on them to provide the most protection and aid for the family, as they held the most abilities in the group. Although Gabriel still remained stronger than Peter. And although Peter had managed to gain control of his ability replication, he still didn't have access to some the abilities he once had. Flight, telepathy, enhanced strength and healing seemed to be the only ones he had in his arsenal. Gabriel on the other hand had; telekinesis, flight, shape shifting, lie detection, electricity, healing as well as intuitive aptitude at his disposal.

The two brothers knew what they were being asked, and they were willing to do whatever it took to get the answers they needed.

"What exactly do you need us to do Nathan?" asked Eden.

"I'll go in and use some kind of story, that I need to get into my office. Then once I'm inside Eden, you and Elle will circle to the rear of the building. That's where the power supply is," Nathan explained.

"You want me to cut the power?" Elle asked.

"Just a tad. It should give you enough time to get to the third floor where my office is" Nathan said.

"What about the guards?" Peter asked.

"I'm sure the girls can take care of themselves" Nathan replied, winking at Eden who just smiled sweetly at him.

"What about us?" Gabriel asked.

"You two will take care of the rest of the security detail. No doubt they'll have some backup support around the premises. Make sure they don't get into the building. Once you're done there, fly up to my office and I'll let you in through the window" Nathan said.

The others nodded in reply as they took careful notice of everything Nathan had told them. Meanwhile Meredith sat next to Nathan, almost looking detached from the situation, "What about me?" she asked.

Nathan looked at his wife. He wanted to keep her and Claire away from this entire situation, but his own words continued to ring in his mind. They were ALL needed, every one of them. "Meredith, you and Claire will need to be our eyes on the outer perimeter. That means you'll have to stay hidden, but also be available for contact" he told her.

Meredith smiled and nodded to her husband, "What if we get caught?" she asked. Meredith was always thinking about how to be on the offense.

"Do whatever's necessary," he said. "And that goes for all of you" he told the rest of the family, who just sat there and nodded.

Just as Nathan was about the close the discussion Eden shot up "What about communication? Are we gonna call each other, or push-to-talk?"

Nathan shook his head, "That'll be a little to dangerous. The signal from the phones might set something off inside the building."

"What's our next option then?" Eden asked.

Nathan looked straight at Peter, who stared straight back. "Just relay your thoughts through Peter, and he'll send them to me" he smiled.

"But don't overload me. Although I've got Matt's ability, I'm still susceptible to the same weaknesses as he is" Peter reminded them. The others nodded in acknowledgment.

"Great" Nathan resolved with a smile, "Looks like we're done here. We'll fly out at six-thirty. That will give us enough time to scope out the building before we move in" Nathan said.

"And we're _all _gonna fly there?" Elle asked, raising her eyebrows.

Nathan nodded "Yeah" he answered, "Pete can take Eden and Claire, cause they're both light enough, right Pete?" Peter just looked at his brother and nodded reluctantly.

"See not a problem?" Nathan smiled.

The group separated, going to do various things for the day. Peter remained perched on the edge of the couch. Eden stopped short and spun around, walking back to him "Are you alright?"

Peter released his knuckle from his teeth and sighed. Eden noticed this and draped her petite arms around his broad shoulders, kissing him of the side of his head.

"It's all gonna work out fine. We'll be safe and we'll get the answers we need to fight this" Eden assured him.

"That's not all I'm worried about" Peter said. Eden looked at him, running her fingers through his long hair, "So what's bothering you then?"

"I-I just hope Nathan knows exactly what he's doing. Cause the worst thing we need is a repeat of the Operation" Peter said.

Eden pulled herself closer to him, embracing his tight and kissing him in the corner of his lips. "Peter you know your brother would never let that happen. Nathan's learned from his mistakes and he's not taking any chances this time," she said.

Peter nodded and sighed once more "You know what, you're right. I'm just being over-protective," he said.

"And I still love you for it. And so does the rest of this family" Eden said, kissing himself once again. She then began to notice that Peter still seemed worried. "Is there anything else that's bothering you honey?" she asked sweetly.

"I don't wanna overload on my abilities. I'm still having a bit of a hard time getting used to using more than one and at given time" Peter told her. "I mean, carrying you and Claire whilst flying seems hard enough, and then Nathan still wants me to stop the guards and relay your thoughts" he sighed.

"Hey look at me," Eden said, directing Peter's face to hers. "Everything is going to be fine…okay. All you gotta do is just relax and execute your abilities as you used too."

"I'm not entirely a mimic anymore Eden" Peter retorted softly.

"But I know it's still in there. You just have to dig a little deeper and find your empathy again," she said, cradling his hand in her small hands. "I believe in you Peter, because I love you" she said softly.

Eden's words were enough to put a horse down, luckily for Peter wasn't using her abilities at the time. The two brunettes looking at each endearingly and engaged in a sweet, warm kiss. Eden moaned softly as she melted into Peter and fell onto the couch.

"I love you Peter," she whispered. "And I love you" Peter replied.

* * * * * * * *

The hours had passed quite swiftly and before they realized, it was time to leave. Nathan stood there in his bedroom, staring at himself in the mirror as he zipped up his navy blue bomber jacket. Navy blue had always been one of Nathan's favorite colors. It just had a sense of honor and justice to it, at least that's what he thought.

Meredith walked into the room to find her husband looking at himself. She came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing his cheek. "I'm really glad you're onboard with us. We really couldn't do this without you" she smiled.

Nathan turned to face his wife, smiling back at her "And I wouldn't let you or the others do this without me."

He looked down at his watch; seeing that time was ticking by, "Time to go." With that the two of them exited the room.

Upon reaching the others down stairs, Nathan looked at them. Everyone seemed to be dressed similarly. Of course Peter and Eden were dressed in dark jeans, dark T-shirts and their trademark black hooded coats, which almost seemed to reach their shoes, accompanied by a full head of long-shoulder length brown hair. Gabriel and Elle were slightly different. He mostly wore shades of grey and black with his hair looking ever-so unruly, while she wore black and royal blue, with her golden-blonde hair loose and tousled, which had rarely been normal for Elle when going on a mission. And then there was Claire, Meredith and Nathan who were dressed similar to each other, all in their patriarchal blue. Meredith and Claire both with their hair hanging down, and Nathan who seemed messy and unshaven

If anyone were to see the Petrelli clan now, they would definitely say there was a "rogue" streak somewhere in the family genes.

"You guys ready?" Nathan asked. The rest of the family looked to him, nodding in unison. Nathan smirked.

As he gave the order, the seven dark-clad Petrellis walked out the back door of the house, with Nathan tailing them and locking the door behind him.

Eden looked to Peter and they readied themselves. "Are you gonna be okay?" she asked softly, putting a hand to his cheek.

Peter nodded "I'll be fine. I'll have control."

Eden smiled and ushered for Claire to grab on to her uncle. Claire stood in front of Peter and wrapped her arms around his neck, while Eden wrapped her arms around his waist from behind him.

Gabriel, Elle, Meredith and Nathan resumed similar positions. Nathan looked to the sky above and down to his brothers "Let's hit it." Peter and Gabriel looked to each other, and then nodded to Nathan.

Nathan was the first to push him and Meredith off the ground, sending them soaring into the sky. Next was Gabriel, who jumped a few feet, then gave a steady push as he and Elle became airborne. Lastly was Peter. He took a breath, firstly accessing Mohinder's ability. He then simply leapt into the air, activating his flight in one single motion propelling himself, Eden and Claire into the night, tailing his brothers' flight path.

As the three of them joined each other in the air, Nathan gave a nod "Follow me." As usual Nathan went Mach One in an instant. Gabriel and Peter followed suite, pushing themselves and their occupants to an inhuman speed. All that could be heard were three sonic booms high in the air, each leaving a trail of vapor behind them.

Their target, Washington Congress offices in the Capitol.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	8. CHAPTER 7: OUR LAST DAYS AS CHILDREN PT1

**A/N: This chapter is a little bit longer than the others, so I apologize for that. But you'll see why I did it.**

**ENJOY :)**

**CHAPTER SEVEN: OUR LAST DAYS AS CHILDREN**

**PART ONE**

Swiftly and faultless, the Petrelli clan landed quite a few feet from the building. Meredith, Elle and Claire quickly ran their hands through their blonde locks, straightening themselves out, while Eden left her hair as the windblown mess it was. The men straightened their coats as they looked towards the dimly lit building ahead of them.

"Okay there it is" Nathan said as he looked at the big double doors as the guards slowly shifted their weight and scanned the area.

"So what are you gonna do…fly over there?" Gabriel asked. Nathan looked at his brother, shock almost painting his face, "What?"

Gabriel just shrugged "They know about our abilities, so I was just asking a question." Nathan glanced back to his brother and sighed, "We're trying to be as inconspicuous as ever remember." Gabriel nodded to him.

Elle directed her gaze toward the building, paying attention to the guards that Nathan had been looking at moment before, yet they seemed to almost be surrounding the building.

"Great they're gonna make our job just peachy" she remarked.

Eden placed and small hand on the blonde's shoulder "Don't you worry about a thing Sparky…we'll make it in just fine" she smirked.

Elle saw the expression on Eden's face and had an idea of what Eden had in mind. Now that the brunette's abilities had been given a boost, thanks to Matt Parkman, the two of them wouldn't have a problem _persuading _the guards not to notice them.

"You girls ready to move?" Nathan asked. Eden and Elle nodded. "Alright, I'll send Pete and message and he'll reply to you once I'm in the office" Nathan explained.

"Sure thing" Elle winked.

Nathan looked at his watch and then to the guards. "Okay it's time," he said. Just as he went to stand to his feet, Meredith grabbed his arm.

"Be careful in there…okay" she said, fighting back the tears. "I'll be fine. Peter will let you know" Nathan told her. Meredith nodded and kissed her husband. "Go go" she encouraged. Claire came to her mother's side, wrapping her arms around her.

"See you guys soon" Nathan said to his brothers. Peter and Gabriel gave a salute. The small band of people watched as their protector went out before them, preparing the way.

"Dad's gonna be fine Mom. I know he is" Claire reassured Meredith. "I know honey" Meredith nodded with confidence.

Nathan strolled casually toward the building, pacing himself with each step. He could feel his nerves wanting to cease up, as well as the small voice somewhere in the back of his mind telling him to go back. He shook his head lightly and ignored the temptation to abort. This _had _to be done. It was the only way they would get the answers they wanted. Every battle started with small, calculated movements, and Nathan was the one who would be sure that tonight was one of those carefully calculated movements.

Upon reaching the building Nathan took out his I.D. and showed it to the security outside the door.

"Senator Petrelli, what are you doing here so late?" asked one of the guards. Nathan flashed his million-dollar smile "Just had to get a few things that I forgot to take home yesterday."

The guards both looked at each other and back to Nathan, "It's a bit late for that isn't it Sir?" one of them asked. There was no time for small talk. Nathan glanced at his watch once more, knowing that the guards would be rotating about now.

The other guards hands Nathan his I.D. "Go right ahead Sir" he said, straight-faced. "Thank you. Have a good night guys" Nathan said as he entered the building. Just as Nathan made into the building, one of the guards called him back, "Oh c'mon" Nathan cursed quietly.

"What's goin on over there?" Meredith asked.

"Looks like they're keeping our brother from getting the job done" Eden replied. She looked to Peter who instantly read her mind.

Claire looked at his uncle and future-aunt "What are you gonna do?"

Eden smiled at Claire and held Peter's hand. The two of them looked to Nathan and the guards and probed their minds. Peter began to tremble slightly as he began to feel the strain of the distance. Eden squeezed her lover's hand and activated the new, telepathic side of her abilities.

~_Nathan Petrelli NEEDS to get inside. You will let him in without a hassle~ _she sent.

One of the guards blinked a few times and looked to Nathan and nodded, "Never mind Mister Petrelli."

"Thank you" Nathan replied as he walked into the building.

~_I'm in~ _Nathan, allowing himself to think out loud so Peter can hear him.

"Okay Nathan's inside" Peter told the others. He looked to Elle and Eden, "Go cut the power and let us know when you're inside" he instructed.

"What…no _thank you for helping me_" Eden remarked jokingly. Elle and Claire shared a smirk until Eden grabbed Elle's hand, "C'mon Sparky."

"Stop callin' me that" Elle frowned.

The two women began their journey to the back of the building. As they jogged Elle heard footsteps coming towards them. Elle lightly pushed Eden to the wall and kept a hand on her stomach.

"Just stay here, I'll take care of him" Elle said, her hand sparking with electricity.

Eden put her hand on Elle's, lowering the blonde woman's hand and stepping passed her. "I'll take care of this one. We can do better if there's no mess in our wake."

"I was only gonna stun him" Elle said as the blue spark slowly disappeared.

Eden quickly checked out the situation, listening for the footsteps, as the guards got closer. "After we get inside, then you can use necessary force" Eden said turning to meet Elle's blue eyes. Elle simply nodded, adhering to the brunette's advice.

Two of the guards rounded the corner and were just about the pass Eden and Elle when one of them suddenly turned around.

"I think I left heard some around the other side. Let's go check it out" he told his colleague. The two men jogged towards the other side of the building, their footsteps fading into the ambience of the night.

"We're clear" Eden said.

They made their way towards the back door and stood there assessing it. Eden acted as the lookout, while Elle inspected the locking system. Elle opened her hand and ignited a spark, which soon cast a feverish blue light upon her young face.

"Remember, just a small jolt. We don't wanna send the building…" Just as Eden was about to finish her sentence, Elle flicked her wrist toward the electronic lock, disabling it, yet shutting down the power at the same time.

"And that's what we were trying to avoid" Eden said, tilting her head to the side and giving her electrical friend a look of annoyance.

"Whoops…sorry" Elle apologized meekly. "Well at least we won't have to worry about being spotted so easily.

Eden smiled at the woman "Oh no, or course not. It just means that you'll have to spark up again so we can see where we're headed. And while we're walking down a dark corridor we'll try not to get caught" she replied, pushing the door open and walking inside.

"Jeez okay, I said I was sorry Eden" Elle apologized once more.

"Just get in here" Eden spat.

Nathan's head snap up to the ceiling as he saw the lights go out. He hung his head for a brief moment, "Dammit Elle" he cursed quietly. He had a feeling that his ever faithful sister in-law would give a more-than-gentle jolt to the building security system. It was typical Elle, always taking it up a notch. He rummaged around in his draw until he found a flashlight.

"Alright Nathan you can do this" he told himself. Nathan slowly exited his office and entered the office of his superior, Senator Nicholas Holloman.

Peter smirked to himself as he heard Nathan's thoughts. Gabriel noticed this and shot a glance to the younger Petrelli, "What is it?"

Peter kept his eyes on the building, "Nathan's talking to himself again."

Meredith sighed openly "He does that when he's nervous you know."

"Well I don't blame him. I mean wouldn't you be if you were in his position right now" Gabriel replied.

Meredith, Claire and Peter all looked to Gabriel, their faces emotionless. "What?" Gabriel asked raising his hands.

"This was partly your idea" Peter pointed out. Gabriel looked at his brother and shook his head, "Let's move," he said, flicking up the collar of is jacket.

"Be careful Peter" Claire said, reaching out to grab her uncle's hand. Peter just gave her a smile, the smile that told they would be fine.

The two dark haired men ran off into the night, until they began to near the front of the building. Peter slowed down and grabbed Gabriel by the shoulder.

"What is it this time Peter?"

"We can't just waltz in there all nonchalant" Peter told him. Gabriel was confused. "Just let me do the _talking_" Peter said. Gabriel shrugged and followed his brother as they approached the large double doors.

The security guards saw Gabriel and Peter walk up to the doors and went to close in on them and stop them.

~_We're here with Nathan Petrelli, so you're gonna let us inside~ _Peter sent to one of the guards.

The guard shook his head lightly and just looked at the two men who stood in front of him. "Why are you gentlemen here, the offices are closed" the guard told them.

"Where with Nathan Petrelli" Gabriel said simply. Peter probed the guard's minds one more time and they looked at each other, nodding. "Come on in." Gabriel and Peter smiled to the men as they walked into the foyer of the building.

The door closed behind them and they both noticed how dark it was inside the building. Gabriel looked around at the lights above them, seeing that they were still intact, "What the hell?"

Peter also assessed the state of the lights, "This looks like your wife's doing" he remarked. Gabriel nodded "Yep, that's definitely her."

Peter looked around for a light source but couldn't find one. "Give us some light will ya?" he asked his brother.

Gabriel flicked a hand open and blue sparks instantly appeared. "Let's go put this place on lockdown" he said, as he and Peter walked further into the building.

Eden and Elle had reached the second floor without hesitation. There didn't seem to be many guards around at the time, but for those who were still in operation, Eden had made sure they didn't notice that her and Elle were even in the building.

"This is a bit weird don't you think" Elle commented.

"How so?" Eden asked.

Elle frowned slightly "For a place like this, you would think that there would be a few more…"

"Excuse me…but are you supposed to be on this floor?" asked the guard who stood behind the two women.

"Great" Eden whispered. She turned around to meet the guard who now stood in front of them, with his hand on his holster. ~_We came here with Nathan Petrelli, we were just heading up to his office, and you're gonna let us go there~ _Eden persuaded.

The guard smirked at the small brunette. "Sorry darlin', but I ain't easily persuaded.

Eden stood there in shock that her ability hadn't worked on the man. She straightened up stared at him, attempting to use her mental persuasion. The guard just pointed to his head and shrugged.

"It's not working" Eden whispered to Elle.

Elle's eye went wide when she realized who they were dealing with. "Hello Elle…remember me?" the guard said. Elle instinctively opened her hand and allowed herself to charge up good and well.

"C'mon Sparky, you know that won't work on me" the man said as he telepathically ceased her to stopped what she was doing. Elle then felt herself going crazy "NO-NO STOP IT!" she screamed.

Gabriel's ears pricked up, 'Elle!" he exclaimed. In an instant he took off running and was followed by Peter who was close behind him. As Sylar rounded a corner he saw a guard suddenly raise his gun at him, upon hearing his footsteps.

"Hold it right there" the guard demanded. Gabriel refused to move as he now saw two more guards come in front of him.

"Put your hands up and we'll escort you outside" the guard said. Saying something like that was a bad thing to say to someone like Gabriel. In one movement Gabriel put his hands and telekinetically sent the guards guns flying out of their hands.

- -"_Dispatch we have a situation and request backup and reinforcements_"- - the guard said into his commlink.

From the third floor Nathan heard commotion that was occurring below. "God I hope you guys are alright" he said silently, realizing that Peter would pick up on his thoughts.

"NO! STOP, PLEASE STOP!" Elle screamed.

"You should've never have come here," the telepath growled. Eden rushed to the aid of her sister, but was easily thrown off by the man, who was twice her size and weight.

Eden crashed into a nearby wall with a heavy thud. She slowly scrambled up and saw the telepath begin to choke Elle. Eden's eye's widened and she zeroed in on their attackers.

~_You're gonna let her go and you're going to choke yourself until you pass out~ _Eden persuaded.

"Fat chance that'll work honey" he laughed as he continued to strangle the blonde. Elle's face was becoming weary and she was getting weak, as the most she could muster up was a small spark.

Ever since Gabriel had empathically healed her of her anguish, Elle's spontaneous discharges rarely occurred and were now something she had to physically charge up.

Eden's pupils grew in size as she looked at the man, ~_PUT HER DOWN AND CHOKE YOURSELF~ _she demanded. The man suddenly released her from his grip and looked to Eden. The young brunette continued her assault by implanting the thought deep into the male telepath's mind, by accessing the deeper aspects of her ability.

The man wrapped his hands around his neck and began choking himself. The sound of an agonizing cough could be heard as the telepath put himself down. Slowly but sure he tried to resist, pushing Eden to the limit. She concentrated more until the man's face went from red, to blue, to pale and back to a dull fleshy color as he choked himself to unconsciousness.

Eden flopped on the ground but caught herself and wiped her nose. She saw the blood on her hand and ignored it, moving to Elle who was gasping for breathe and weeping softly.

"Shh-shh you're gonna be okay. I'm here honey, I'm here" Eden said softly into Elle's ear and she held the now fragile electrical manipulator.

More guards appeared around Peter and Gabriel, each of them wielding guns and handing fresh ones to those who had lost their weapons thanks to Gabriel.

Peter heard Nathan's stray thought and concentrated, "_Gabriel and I are surrounded, but don't worry, we'll be up there in a flash._"

"Okay, put your hands behind your heads _slowly_, and NO tricks this time," the leader commanded.

Gabriel smirked and looked to Peter, "Looks like we've got a tussle on our hands little brother." Peter nodded and smiled to Gabriel, "That we do."

As Gabriel lifted his hands, he flicked a finger, causing some of the guards to be hit with their own weapons.

"FIRE" the leader commanded.

Gunshots rang throughout the building as the guards unleashed an attack on the super-powered siblings. Gabriel lifted a hand to stop the bullets in front of him. Suddenly he was hit in the back with several more, but he quickly began to heal. More shots were fired, this time closer to Gabriel's head.

Claire and Meredith heard the gunshots from their position outside the building. "We gotta go in there" Claire said, almost rushing off.

"You're father told us to stay here" Meredith said, stopping her daughter.

"But Dad also said to use our abilities if necessary…and _that _is necessary" Claire replied, pointing to the building. Meredith held her ground, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Peter and Gabriel can heal just like you, so they should be fine" Meredith reassured her daughter. Claire gave a sigh and leaned into her mother.

"NO!" Peter shouted as the bullets headed toward Gabrield. He instinctively backed up to his brother and stretched out a hand. The bullets stopped dead in front of Peter and the guards had trouble firing their guns. Peter quickly looked behind him only to see that he and Gabriel were still a few minor inches away from each other. Peter looked back to the guards and threw his hand the side, causing the bullets to go flying towards a window, smashing it on impact.

The guards continued to look at Peter as they tried to fire their weapons. Peter glanced behind him again and was met by his brother.

"What is it?" Gabriel asked.

Peter looked at him as time almost stood still because of the effects of their telekinesis. Gabriel quickly directed the bullets to the side, smashing another window and held the men in front of him still, just as Peter had on his side.

"I-I didn't touch you" Peter gasped. Gabriel frowned, "So?"

"Normally I have to _touch _someone to gain their abilities, but I didn't touch you" Peter told him.

The light suddenly went on in Gabriel's head as his intuitive aptitude kicked in. "Your empathy must be returning. I know it. But let's finished this up first." Gabriel stretched his other arm out, holding the guards on Peter's side. "Find something strong to tie them up" he said.

Peter walked to the fire extinguishers on the nearby wall and ripped the doors off their hinges. He then pulled the hose off its roll in one movement and easily carried it over to where his brother stood. Gabriel brought his arms together, causing them guards to slam against each other without getting hurt. Peter then proceeded to rip the hose in half and bound the men together in two separate groups.

"That should hold them for a while" Peter said.

"But what about when we leave, we still have to protect ourselves, so we can't leave them like this" Gabriel commented. His brother had a point.

"We'll untie them later" Peter said. He then picked up on Eden's thoughts, as she called for his help. Gabriel noticed Peter's far-off gaze, "What is it?"

"It's Elle and Eden. C'mon" Peter said, ushering Gabriel along with him.

"You're never gonna get away with this" the leader spat. Gabriel quickly turned around and closed his fingers, and the guard's mouth closed with the movement. The man continued to mumble through his close mouth, which was annoying Gabriel.

"Shut him up" Gabriel said.

Peter simply looked at the two groups of men, using his telepathy to erase their memories of what had happened a few moments earlier. "All done. Let's go" Peter said.

The shooting and screaming had suddenly stopped. Nathan looked around the office, wondering if his family was still safe. This whole operation seemed to almost be taking longer than he thought it was. He went back to his search and finally went to the computer.

"Alright, let's see what you've got Mister Holloman" Nathan said quietly. He switched the computer on and sat there, trying to think of what the password was. He quickly looked at the papers that were laying around until it came to him. Nathan opened one of the draws and found a folder containing information on all the employees, as well as usernames and passwords.

Then Nathan remembered that Elle had cut the power. "Elle" he mused. Suddenly he heard a slight buzzing noise and saw the security lights come on. Along with that the computer booted up and Nathan sighed with relief. Finally the emergency power had kicked in, and it had given him just enough time to get what he needed.

"There we go" Nathan smiled as he read Holloman's details. He quickly logged into the network and begun looking around. After a few minutes he came across an email that contain Nathan's name and other pieces of information. As he read the emails that followed he begun to see that the source of the information was coming from Pinehearst.

"How could that be possible….Pinehearst is over with" Nathan said to himself as he continued reading. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but somehow someone was using Pinehearst as a base of operations. Nathan leaned back and thought bout it for a minute. It couldn't be their father…could it? He shook his head in disbelief and kept reading, he needed to know why the inquiry had been made.

Eden helped Elle to her feet and the two of them stumbled down the dark hallway. "For the love of God, we need lights" Eden said as she looked around the hallway. Exit signs and emergency lights flickered as they turned on and Eden threw her head back in praise, "Thank you" she said quietly.

"I…guess I only kicked out one phase" Elle struggled. Eden held her up as they continued down the hallway until they came to an elevator.

"Looks like this won't do us any good. The emergency power won't be enough to get this thing goin" Eden said.

Peter and Gabriel continued up the stairway before busting down a door that had previously been secured by an electronic lock. Upon entering the hallway Peter scanned the dimly lit area for the women.

"_Eden can you hear me? Where are you?_" he reached out telepathically.

Eden heard Peter's thoughts and replied, "_To your left._"

Peter looked down the hallways to see two darkly dressed women standing awkwardly in front of an elevator. "That's them" Peter told Gabriel, who followed him as they made their way to their lovers.

Upon reaching them Gabriel noticed the state Elle was in. He rushed to her side, holding her in his arms "Elle what happened?" All Elle could do was curl up in her husband's arms, sobbing lightly as she did.

"We were attacked by a telepath. And he was strong, stronger than Matt" Eden told them.

Peter looked at her in shock "What? A telepath? How is that possible?"

"It's just as possible that the government could've hired a rogue telepath as it is that you absorbed my telekinesis without touching me" Gabriel answered.

Eden looked at Peter in amazement "You…absorbed Gabriel's telekinesis, you realize what this means don't you?" she said. Peter nodded to her.

"We can talk about this later, we've gotta get to Nathan's office" Gabriel said, looking to the elevator.

"That's not gonna work Gabriel" Eden said "We've only got emergency power."

"And no doubt security has been replenished after everything went black" Peter said, Eden looked at him, noticing the strain on his face "What happened to you, we heard gunshots."

"It's all been taken care of, but our time has probably run out by now, which means more guards will be on their way" Peter told them. With that said Gabriel simply looked at the elevator, raising an eyebrow and the doors flew open. He picked up Elle and walked in.

"That's not gonna work" Eden repeated.

"It doesn't have too" Gabriel replied. He look above him and the small hatch flew off. Eden and Peter looked at Gabriel, who seemed desperate. "Nathan's office is on the next floor, This will be a lot easier than flying to a window" he said.

Without wasting any time Gabriel held on Elle and pushed them through the hatch. Eden held onto Peter as they entered the elevator and Peter raised a hand in front of him, closing the doors. He then flew through the hatch, following Gabriel.

As they reached the next floor, Gabriel opened the doors and the four of them floated through. Peter telekinetically closed the doors and dusted himself off.

"Let's see what Nathan was able to find" he said.

Gabriel adjusted his hold on Elle and the four of them strolled down the hallway until they came to Nathan's office, but he wasn't there.

Nathan heard footsteps and cautiously looked out the door, seeing his brothers and their significant others outside. "In here" Nathan said quietly.

Peter ushered for the others to go in before him and closed the door behind them. "What were you able to find?" he asked.

"You're never gonna believe this" Nathan said, turning the computer monitor to them so they could see.

"Oh…my…God" Eden exclaimed quietly.

"Pinehearst" Peter and Gabriel said in unison, as their expressionless face both looked at the screen.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	9. CHAPTER 8: OUR LAST DAYS AS CHILDREN PT2

**CHAPTER EIGHT: OUR LAST DAYS AS CHILDREN**

**PART TWO**

Gabriel adjusted his hold on Elle and the four of them strolled down the hallway until they came to Nathan's office, but he wasn't there.

Nathan heard footsteps and cautiously looked out the door, seeing his brothers and their significant others outside. "In here" Nathan said quietly.

Peter ushered for the others to go in before him and closed the door behind them. "What were you able to find?" he asked.

"You're never gonna believe this" Nathan said, turning the computer monitor to them so they could see.

"Oh…my…God" Eden exclaimed quietly.

"Pinehearst" Peter and Gabriel said in unison, as their expressionless face both looked at the screen.

Nathan looked back to his family as they continued to stare at the Pinehearst logo that was at the top of the email. Gabriel steadied his hold on Elle and kept looking at the screen, while Peter turn his back on it and walked out of the room.

"Peter" Nathan called out. Eden put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it; "I'll go talk to him" she said softly and walked out of the room.

Eden found Peter slightly leaning against the glass outside Holloman's office. He looked very upset, and whenever Peter was upset or annoyed about something or someone, his body usually displayed it. Eden walked up to him and put her hands on his chest, "Peter, Peter talk to me please."

Peter lifted his head to see Eden staring him in the face. Her big brown eyes quivered as she searched for an answer. He let out an aggravated groan and shook his head. "I can't believe it. I saw Gabriel thrust the bullet into his head…h-how can he still be alive?"

Eden looked at Peter's pain-stricken face and gently placed a hand on his cheek, "I dunno how or why, but you can't let your personal affairs get in the way. As far as Arthur was concerned when you, Nathan and Gabriel turned against him, he disowned you."

"That still doesn't explain how the man is still alive and why he's targeting Nathan" Peter said, thrusting a fist in the air. Suddenly there was a crash as the glass behind Peter cracked.

Eden looked at Peter with wide eyes, as did Gabriel and Nathan. "Sorry, I guess I've gotta re-learn how to control that ability," Peter noted sheepishly.

Eden just smiled at him "In time honey" she said, gently kissing his lips. "Look we don't anything for sure yet. All we know is that Pinehearst is a major player in this whole mess" Eden told him. Peter felt the warmth of Eden's presence seep into every fiber of his being and pulled her into his embrace. Eden rested her head against her beloved's chest and sighed.

"Let's go back in," Eden said, leading Peter back into the office.

Claire and Meredith had remained outside for just over an hour as they watched the building and listened to the commotion that came within. Claire was beginning to get anxious for her family who was still inside; there was this _need _to be with them.

"Calm down Claire, it'll all be over soon and then they'll be back here with us," Meredith said. Her daughter looked to her with an expression of slight disbelief.

"Are you sure about that?" Claire asked. Meredith nodded "Yes Claire, I'm sure" she said in a soft, calm manner. Claire snuggled up to her mother, resting her head on her shoulder, "I'm cold" she said.

Meredith smirked and put her arms around Claire and opened her hands in front of them. A small flame rose from the center of Meredith's hands and Claire readjusted herself as she leant against her mother.

"Thanks Mom" Claire said. "You're welcome baby" Meredith answered as she kissed the healer's forehead.

Peter and Eden re-entered the office just in time to hear Nathan's latest rant. Nathan looked at the two, raising an eyebrow as he checked on his youngest brother, "You doin okay Pete?"

"Yeah, I'm better now" Peter replied. Nathan looked to the glass wall on their left. Peter saw this and lowered his head "Uh yeah sorry about that" he apologized.

"It's okay Pete, that's the least of our problems," he started as he looked up to his siblings "It seems that Pinehearst are the one's who have been targeting me…or should I say _us_."

Gabriel shook his head is disbelief "And there's no trace of whom your office contacted?"

"From what I can see, Holloman, my superior stayed in contact with someone by the name of Michael York. But other than that there's no other evidence" Nathan explained as he attempted to dig up more information.

"But why would someone from Pinehearst want you gone Nathan? All the things you did with them were gone once your father died" Eden commented.

Nathan's head immediately snapped up upon hearing the mention of his father. Peter caught wind of his brother's thoughts and frowned "Don't even go there Nathan," he said.

"Why not Peter" Nathan bit back softly, "The man tricked me into thinking what he was doing was right, he almost killed you, and he tormented Gabriel. I won't let that happen again."

From the way Nathan spoke through his teeth, Peter could see that his inner wounds had not healed, but the fact was, no one's wounds had healed since Arthur's power struggle. Gabriel looked at his brothers as he felt Elle stir in his arms.

The blonde finally opened her eyes and looked around the room as they fluttered, "Where am I?" she asked in a child-like tone.

Gabriel smiled upon seeing his wife's eyes "It's okay Angel, you're safe. We're here in Nathan's office," he explained. Elle just smiled at him and snuggled deeper into him as Gabriel readjusted her once again. "Are you gonna be able to stand, or sit?"

"I-I think so," Elle said. Gabriel slowly lowered her feet to the ground, where Elle wobbled for a little before Gabriel helped her into a nearby chair. He ran a hand across her hair and bent down to kiss her lips softly. "We'll be outta here soon," he said. Elle looked up and him and nodded with a smile.

"If our father's really behind all of this, I swear I will kill him myself," Nathan uttered menacingly. Peter quickly lifted him from the computer, putting his hands on Nathan's shoulders and looking him in the eyes.

"Look we don't know anything for sure yet. But let's take this information and figure it out later" Peter said as he looked towards the door. "It seems like we may have overstayed our welcome."

Nathan nodded and quickly searched the draws until he found a USB drive. He inserted it into the computer and saved all the correspondence that were relevant to the current situation. "Okay that's everything," he said. "Is Phase One power still out?" Nathan asked Elle.

Elle looked up from where she was seated and nodded "Yeah, I guess so" she said, still child-like.

Nathan nodded "Good." He then looked toward the window and over to open it. The air outside was sharp and crisp. "We'll have to go out here, it'll be safer this way." Nathan walked back to the computer and shut it down as the others went to the window.

Gabriel picked up Elle once more and floated outside, as did Peter with Eden, who was followed by Nathan. "Will you do the honors?" Nathan asked Gabriel. Gabriel simply flicked his index finger and the window closed and locked in an instant. Nathan looked back towards the heavily bushed area where they had originally landed, only to see a small light flickering.

"Are Meredith and Claire still there?" Nathan asked Peter. Peter telepathically reached out and read Meredith's thoughts and nodded in response. "Good. Let's get outta here before they notice anything has happened" Nathan instructed.

Just as they were about to fly off Nathan turned to the small group, "Eden, Peter, we'll need to wipe their memories."

The two longhaired lovers nodded and looked to the building, each of them using their abilities to erase the memories of the guards, so they would be oblivious too what had occurred earlier. Peter gasped for air as they finished, causing the pair to drop slightly in the air.

"Peter…" Gabriel gasped.

The youngest Petrelli quickly regained control and floated back up to the others, "It's okay. We're good," he said. Nathan smiled and the 5 of them flew to retrieve Meredith and Claire.

"About time you guys got here. We were almost worried about you" Claire said as the group touched down.

"So what did you find?" Meredith asked.

"We'll talk about it when we get home. Did anyone see what happened in there?" Nathan asked.

"Apart from the gunfire, screaming and electrical disturbance…I think you were pretty safe," Claire said with a smirk.

"No major activity from out here. So you were safe," Meredith told him. She looked at Nathan inquisitively "What _did _go on in there?" she asked.

"We'll explain it all when we get home" Nathan told his wife. "Oh and you guys can stay the night" he smiled to the couples behind him.

Claire went over to Peter and grabbed hold of him once again "Are you alright?" she asked. "Yeah I'm fine" Peter smiled. Claire smiled to her uncle and nestled into his chest.

In one swift motion the Petrelli clan took to the sky and flew back to their sanctuary.

* * * * * * * *

The dim lights of Nathan and Meredith Petrelli's house added to the solemn atmosphere that seemed to encompass the family. Yes they had tasted success, but they were still in the dark regard the situation that currently surrounded them. The tension in the house was enough to make the more pensive person edgy and aggravated, but they wanted to avoid that. The plan seemed simple, find out who had order the hit against Nathan, track them down and take them out. But from the events that unfolded tonight, the plan didn't seem so easy after all.

For Nathan it was a struggle as he sat in his office, looking at the emails he had up on the screen. The struggle was between doing what he _knew _was right, or politically correct, or the choice to go against everything that _seemed _right and noble and to go down the road of the rogue warrior.

In Meredith's case, as she was the strong support in her family she was trying to keep everything together, despite everything that had occurred earlier. She lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, releasing a sigh from her lips. All she wanted was for her family to live a normal, comfortable life. Yet as a Petrelli, normal wasn't exactly an option.

Claire was soundly asleep in her room. Although the night had been restless for her as she anxiously waited for her family to return from their mission, once she had them back Claire was fine. As long as she had her family close to her she would be safe.

Gabriel had spent most of the night taken care of Elle, who still seemed fatigued and shaken up from her ordeal back at Nathan's office complex. By now she was completely worn out and didn't want to let Gabriel out of her sight. So he continued to stay by her side, even if it cost him his sleep.

As for Peter and Eden, they sat in the living room downstairs, discussing the sudden leap in his abilities.

"Are you sure that you didn't touch Gabriel at all when the whole telekinesis thing happen" Eden asked once again. Peter just continued to look at her with his light brown eyes. She stared back at him and knew her question had been answered.

"How is that even possible…especially after you injected yourself with the formula?" she asked.

Peter shook his hair, running a hand through his long, messy hair "I dunno. It just…happened." Eden was still finding it hard to believe. After all the times they had tried to help him re-access, a remnant of it had suddenly appeared.

"Do you think it may be a permanent thing? Like some evolutionary boost in your abilities?" Eden asked.

"It could be. Either that or my DNA could've just bonded with the formula and adapted" Peter replied. Eden sat there pondering on what her lover had said. At that moment, as if someone had turned a light on in her brain, Eden's eyes became wide, even wider than usual.

"Eden what is it?" Peter asked, leaning forward on the couch, taking her hand in his.

"I think we may have to give one of our old friends a courtesy call," she said. Peter looked at her confused. They had quite a lot of "old friends". She could've been referring to anyone.

"Who are you talkin about?" Peter asked as his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Eden looked back at him, titling her head in disbelief at his comment, "Who else but _Mister Synthetic-Strength _himself" she said in a "didn't-you-know" tone, which was accompanied by a sweet little smirk.

"You mean Mohinder?" Peter asked. Eden nodded.

Peter wasn't sure if going to Mohinder was the right thing to do. After everything that had happened to them two years ago, Mohinder had suffered quite severely. Everything he thought he knew about his father had been a complete lie, and in his pursuit of his father's past and research, he had risked his life on more than one occasion. Peter cared deeply for his friend and wasn't sure if he wanted to put the man through that kind of situation ever again.

"I'm not entirely sure Mohinder will want to be apart of what we're doin here Eden. The guy was still pretty torn up the last time we saw him," Peter told her.

"I know. But we can at least try to contact him" Eden said, putting her hand on Peter's. "And we don't have to mention anything about Nathan, or the inquiry. We can keep that between the family." The persuasive woman's eyes glimmered with hope, whilst the mimic's eyes only flickered here and there.

"I dunno if _keeping _our family's situation a secret will work with Mohinder" Peter remarked. "Oh c'mon he's not like Matt" Eden replied. Peter shook his head, "He doesn't have to be like Matt," he said, "All he has to do is pay attention to the news," Peter pointed to the newspaper which was lying on the coffee table.

Eden's expression went soft as she inched closer to Peter, nestling herself in his chest. She heaved slowly and released a breath as she looked up to the man she adored. "Alright, we'll figure something out. But we should still contact him, cause he's the only one who'll be able to explain what's goin on with you" Eden said.

Peter sighed inwardly and looked down to the cogent brunette, "Okay fine. We'll lay low for a while and then we'll go see Mohinder." Eden smiled "Good, now let's get to bed." She got off the couch and pulled Peter up, leading him towards the room they had been given.

The current circumstance seemed to be becoming more than what the Petrelli's could handle. Maybe a little outside assistance could be just what they needed. Yet on the other hand, was bringing old friends into the mix helping to find a remedy to their dilemma, or was it a catalyst for the past to repeat itself once again. Only time would tell, but for the Petrelli clan, time wasn't exactly on their side.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	10. CHAPTER 9: AS NIGHT FALLS

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the slow update. Life has been NUTS for me lately, which has consisted of a LOT of writing, emailings, travel plans and conferences.**

**But here is the latest chapter of "THE VOW". There's a few unexpected "surprises" in this one. Even I was surprised as I wrote it all...and trust me i WAS surprised. I almost cried at one point. But don't you cry hehe. Also this chapter is a little longer than the previous ones...but Word flaked out on me and didn't let me know how many pages I had typed LOL.**

**Read, rate, review...and send me an message sometime.**

**Love yas**

***********************

**CHAPTER NINE**

**AS NIGHT FALLS**

The apartment was comfortably heated, yet the slight sting of the outside atmosphere was still able to make its way through the window. This apartment was a lot nicer than the one Mohinder was used too. At least now he knew he could live in peace and comfort, not in the rot of the past. Even after two years the past was something Mohinder rarely spoke about. After coming to America, hearing of his father's death and then pursuing his work, Mohinder's life had begun to fall apart. His relentless pursuit of those with abilities had transformed him from a humble, optimistic scientist, to somewhat of a murderer, a self-made science experiment, and then a fugitive. And on top of that, his father wasn't the man Mohinder thought he was. All the noble deeds he once thought Chandra was apart were all turned to dust that fateful night out at Coyote Sands. And since that time, Mohinder had returned to India to resign as a professor and scientistic and travelled back to America.

After everything he had endured, after all the arguments, fights, heartache and betrayal, he had ultimately become the very _thing _he had been seeking out since 2007…Mohinder was someone with an ability. His normal life as an everyday citizen was gone and he had to create a new life for himself. Up until now it had been going well. But he could never have anticipated what was to come.

Eden opened the front door of the mansion and closed it just as quickly. Winter had finally settled there in New York and it had only been the first few weeks of December. Upon taking her coat off the petite brunette shivered lightly as the warm air of her home brushed against her semi-cold, almost pale-white skin. She walked to the kitchen and quickly brewed herself some coffee. That would definitely help sooth her cold limbs. She poured the warm, steaming brown liquid into a mug and smiled to herself as it slid down her throat like a waterfall. Suddenly she heard the front door open and was startled, causing her to almost fumble her mug.

"Who's there?" she called out loud.

Peter quickly made his way inside to avoid the cutthroat winds that had begun to descend upon the city. He entered the kitchen to see Eden standing there, almost frozen with shock. Peter strolled up to her with caution and gently placed a hand on her should, "Hey are you okay?"

Her eyes were soft, quivering lightly as her nerves slowly wound down. Peter could now feel Eden's breath on his neck as he drew her against his broad chest, as he stroked the length of her hair.

Eden finally drew in a long breath before disconnecting from Peter's embrace "You know it would be nice to let a girl know when you get through the door" she joked, punching him softly.

"I'm sorry" Peter said, leaning in to kiss Eden's soft, pink lips. This made Eden smile broadly; subtracting the intensity she had felt previously.

"I assume work was good" Eden smiled as she took another sip of her now, lukewarm coffee. Peter ran a hand through his hair, shuddering slightly as the moisture hit his neck.

"Work is work," he smiled, peeling of his coat "and I'm saving lives." Eden nodded "Well aren't you just the everyday Hero." Peter just gave her a crooked smile as he moved about the kitchen.

"No word from Nathan yet?" he asked.

Eden shook her head "Not yet. You've gotta learn to just sit back and relax honey. It's no use stressing out when you don't know anything about the situation."

Peter just hung his head, placing his elbows on the counter to lean against it. He hated not knowing what was happening with his oldest brother, especially now. He turned to Eden, innocence painting his face "What about our other friend?"

"I dunno about Mohinder. He hasn't answered any of my calls" Eden replied.

Peter bite on his knuckle as he thought, "Maybe I should just go over and pay him a visit…for old-times sake."

Eden folded her arms over her chest and looked at him "You sure about that?" Eden knew of Peter's 'other' intentions for going to visit Mohinder, which she didn't think was such a wise idea…not yet.

"Eden I need to know" Peter said.

"I know sweetie," she sighed "but we can't just go over to his house uninvited. I mean…who knows if he's still in the genetics business," Eden said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Eden, it's Mohinder we're talkin about. Even if he's not in the 'business', he'll still have some idea of what could be happening to me," Peter said, walking up to Eden.

"Let's just wait a little while. The poor guy may still need some space," Eden said softly.

"It's been two years Eden. The man can't go Lone Ranger forever" Peter said. Eden stood there and gazed into Peter's intense brown eyes. At the moment she felt like persuading Peter to look the other way and not to go to Mohinder, but she knew it wouldn't be wise, or fair to do deliberately push the one she loved so dearly.

"Please wait" was all Eden could say.

Peter heaved his shoulders as he exhaled in disappointment. Eden ran a hand through his long hair, as her own fringe fell in her face and looked up to him endearingly, "Just wait Peter. The time will come."

Peter nodded awkwardly in response. Peter knew that it was no use pushing to go see Mohinder, because Eden wouldn't allow it.

"Dad…Dad…NATHAN!" Claire shouted from the living room.

Nathan came running down the stairs, floating down the last few steps as his daughter called out vehemently. "What is it?" he asked breathlessly.

Claire just stared at her father "I thought you were preparing dinner tonight?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Nathan sighed, running a rough hand over his face "Claire I'm sorry, I got caught up with all that Pinehearst stuff" he said, looking around the living room. He looked toward the kitchen and smiled to himself.

As her father turned around Claire noticed the pleasant expression on his face "Well…what's happening now?" she asked, continuing to stare him down.

Nathan looked at the short, blonde who stood in front of him and matched her stare-for-stare. "How bout we order in. I'll take care of it" Nathan smiled.

Claire rolled her eyes "Fine. But we're getting Italian" she said, pointing a finger at him and narrowing her eyes.

Nathan retained the smile on his face and nodded, "Italian it is. I'll make the call." With that Nathan took his cell phone from his pocket and called the restaurant, while Claire decided to retreat to the comforts of primetime television. Twenty minutes later there was a knock at the door, which Claire answered to retrieve their food and pay for it.

With the scent of Italian sausages and pasta in the air, Nathan and Claire went about having a normal father/daughter conversation, when the phone rung. Claire ran to pick up the phone, answering it with a full mouth "Ha-who."

Meredith's eyebrows furrowed upon hearing her daughter "Is this really my baby girl?" she asked with a giggle.

Claire nodded, "Mmmm" she swallowed, "Sorry about the mouthful. What's up?"

Meredith smiled as she readjusted the pages on the desk in front of her, "I'm just callin to let ya'll know that I'll be home late. They've got me tying up some loose ends on some case files," she explained.

Claire nodded to her father as he inquired about the person on the line. "Okay I'll let Dad know. Love you Momma" she smiled.

"Love you too sweetheart. See you later" Meredith said, placing the phone on the receiver.

"So who was that?" Nathan asked, swallowing some soda.

"It was Mom. She's gonna be late cause of some case files they've got her working on" Claire replied, rolling her eyes. Nathan smirked at his daughter's expression. She always looked like him when she rolled her eyes.

"How are things coming along with Pinehearst?" she asked.

Nathan's head shot up straight as he stared at Claire, "Um it's…fine. But I don't really wanna talk about it" he answered.

"Dad I'm not a little girl anymore, you can tell me this kinda stuff" Claire said. Nathan continued to look at her, resisting the urge to just "spill". Claire continued to sit there eating her pasta as she awaited her father's reply.

"I don't wanna talk about it right now Claire" Nathan said in a serious tone.

Claire's eyes widened slightly and she went right back to finishing her meal. Nathan knew that he was probably being a little hard on her, but he really didn't want to talk about the investigation. The last few days had been the first truly peaceful days Nathan in a while, and Nathan needed the rest. He knew his brothers were taking up where he left off, and he wanted to keep it that way for now, at least for tonight.

Elle walked to the bathroom to take a much-needed shower after her workout. The let out a small moan of appreciate as the warm water hit her body, the sensation of goose bumps penetrating through her skin as she adjusted to the temperature. The shower lasted a little longer than she had planned, but she was grateful for the "me-time". Upon reaching the kitchen she was dressed in something a little more comfortable. Elle was glad she and Gabriel had come to live in Costa Verde, mainly because of a weather and the fact that it didn't get as cold on the west coast.

Her husband had insisted that Elle take some time off work, as she had been quite busy over the last little and had also been in recuperation-mode since the small siege on Nathan's political office. Elle sighed to herself as she thought about the family. Their situation seemed to be only becoming thicker as time went by, she almost didn't have the strength anymore. She flicked on the television on hopes that something would lift her spirits.

Gabriel turned on the radio as he drove home from work and flicked through the various channels, looking for something to help him unwind. As Elle had been at home for a last little while he had to work more hours just to provide for them. It wasn't like they were lacking heavily in the financial side of life, it just meant Gabriel had to be away from home for longer periods of time, which he sometimes hated. His cell phone buzz along to its tune as Gabriel stopped at a set of traffic lights, "Hello…"

"Hey baby, how ya doin?" Elle asked.

A broad smile made its way across Gabriel's stubble-covered face as he heard his wife's voice, "Hey Angel, I'm doin well, how bout you?"

A girlish sigh could be heard from Gabriel's side of the line, "I'm good…but I've missed you today" she said.

Gabriel smiled as the traffic began to move once again, "Well I'll be home soon. I'll even make dinner."

Elle couldn't wipe the grin off her face as she accepted her husband's gesture, "Sounds wonderful. See you soon baby." They ended the call and Elle pulled her knees to her chest as she looked at the TV in front of her. Even amongst all the angst she was always thankful for the family she was now surrounded with. After everything that happened between her and Gabriel, as well as her past with the Petrellis, redemption had extended its hand out to her, and she was now living the life she had always dreamed of.

The air from the central heating system slowly worked its way through the living room as Nathan and Claire were cuddled up to each other on the couch, both of them almost absentmindedly at the TV. As far as programming was concerned, prime-time television was over, and all they were left with was a "Law & Order"-type show.

Claire shifted herself as she leaned against her father, her shoulders heaving slightly as she exhaled, expressing her boredom. Nathan glanced down at her, pouting his lips slightly.

"Hey you okay?" he asked.

Claire mumbled something incoherently and rolled her eyes, "I dunno. I guess I just wanna know that we're safe" she mused. She looked up to her father, her blue eyes child-like and transparent "Are we safe Dad?"

Nathan ran a hand over his daughter's long, silky blonde hair, lowering himself to kiss Claire's hair, "We're safe Claire. Trust me on that."

In the past her father's words, especially his promises, had been less than what Nathan had presented them to be. She sighed, as she looked at him, studying his face, the softness of his eyes and the warmth of his smile. Claire could never go back to thinking her father was a monster, especially after everything he had sacrificed for their family.

"I trust you Dad," she said kissing his cheek. "I'll be right back."

Claire retreated upstairs to go change into sweatpants and a hooded sweater.

Nathan smiled to himself as he watched his daughter trot upstairs. He had a feeling that everything was going to work out for his family. As he sat there the phone began to ring. Nathan leant forward and picked it up, "Nathan Petrelli."

"N-Nathan…Thank God" Angela stammered.

Nathan frowned slightly as he heard his mother's husky-frightened voice, "Ma what's wrong?"

He begun to hear his mother wheeze and cough up liquid and his heart began to pound with fervour.

Angela composed herself, taking a deep painful breath. "Nathan…listen to me" she breathed, "Time…has run out for me."

"What? What do you mean Ma?" Nathan asked, visibly confused.

"It's Pinehearst. They've c-caught up to me and…." Angela almost blacked out, but managed to pull herself together one last time.

"Ma!" Nathan exclaimed. At this time Claire came rushing down the stairs as she heard her father calling out to her grandmother. She stopped dead at the entrance of the living room and just looked at him.

"I'm dying Nathan. Pinehearst caught up with me and…th-they're coming for you" Angela sobbed. "I-I tried to save you son but I couldn't. N-Now-Now you have to protect the family."

"NO! No Ma, Claire and I will be there soon, and we'll help you" Nathan said as tears welled up in his eyes.

"It's no use Nathan. I don't know if I can hold on," Angela said painfully.

"Ma don't you die on us. We need you" Nathan cried.

There was silence for a few brief moments. Nathan sat there rocking back and forth on the couch. Claire carefully made her way to his side, placing her hands on Nathan's shoulders.

"The family needs you now. Get out of there" Angela whispered. Her voice faded away and the line went silent. Nathan sat there continued to wait for another word. After a few minutes the phone went dead and Nathan dropped the phone.

"No…no no no no NO" he cried. He fell into Claire's arms and she embraced him. Finally she was able to bring his face up to meet hers, "Dad, Dad what's wrong? What happened to Grandma?" she asked, her eyes trembling lightly.

Nathan wiped his face and took a few breaths as he pulled himself together. He didn't know if he could get the words out, but he knew Claire had to know.

"Pinehearst just killed your Grandmother," he wept. Claire choked on her own breath and staggered in her seated position. She couldn't believe it; she didn't want to believe it. Angela had done so much over the years to keep her family safe. And now the very people she had been protecting them from had killed her.

"She's…dead?" Claire whispered, tears rolling down her face. She didn't know what else to say. It had happened so quickly. Claire fell into Nathan and sobbed heavily. Nathan held her, stroking the young woman's blonde hair. He looked at the clock and back to his daughter.

"We've gotta go now. Go pack some clothes. We'll go get your mother and then we're heading to New York" Nathan told Claire. Claire nodded and wiped her face, walking back upstairs.

Nathan rang Meredith to tell her of the news. The shock hit Meredith like a truck and she felt as if someone had frozen her blood. The two of them had to force themselves to fight back the sensation of nausea as Nathan explained the situation to her and his plans. In no time at all, the Protector and his Healer were on the road to go pick Meredith.

The drive to New York had almost been cloaked in a deathly silence. The three patriotic-Petrellis had to force themselves to speak, and resist the urge to give-in to the feelings of sickness that boil within them.

Meredith glanced over to her husband and took his strong hand in hers, squeezing it as she gazed upon this man who had now become a true patriarch in the full meaning of the word.

"Peter's not gonna take the news too well. And neither will Gabriel. You know how sensitive those boys are," she said.

"I know, I know" Nathan mused. "But we have to give them the news immediately. We need to be a lot more strict with our plans and everything else we do," he told Meredith.

Meredith looked back to Claire, who was fast asleep. She smiled, as the young healer lay there tucked under her jacket. She knew that Claire was their legacy and they had to protect her, no matter the circumstance, or the cost. "So are you going to get Elle and Gabriel to meet us at Peter's?"

"That would be best" Nathan said as they crossed the border into New York State. Finally they made it into Manhattan and to his mother's old mansion. Nathan and his girls exited the car and he just looked up to the house in front of him. He had lived there for such a long time as he and brother's grew up with their parents. He couldn't believe that his mother was now gone forever, leaving the entire Petrelli fortune and name in the hands of her three sons and their families. Nathan looked at Meredith and Claire; both of them smiled at him and the trio made their way to the door.

Peter heard a knock at the door and walked to answer it. He opened the door to see Nathan, Meredith and Claire standing there in the cold, with bags in hand. He saw the expression on his brother's face and he instantly got a hit from Nathan's mind.

"Nathan what happened?"

"It's Ma" Nathan heaved. Peter stood there staring at his oldest brother. That's when the tears began to bubble in Nathan's eyes, "She's dead Peter. Our mother…she's dead," he sobbed lightly.

Peter immediately ushered them inside and Nathan gripped him tight. The youngest Petrelli didn't understand everything that was happening, but from what he picked up from Nathan, he too began to sob.

Just then Eden entered the foyer to see the scene unfold, "Peter? Are you okay?" she asked.

Meredith just looked at her future sister in-law "Angela was killed tonight" she said softly.

Eden's eyes became bigger than usual as she went wrap her small arms around her lover's waist. Meredith and Claire closed in on Nathan and the five held each other as the men cried out in agony.

A little while after, once the emotions had settled and everyone had revived, Eden walked into the living room with a tray of steaming beverages, handing a cup to each other her family members.

"So what happened to her Nathan? Who came after her?" Peter asked tenderly, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

Nathan looked to his brother, his hands trembling lightly as the shock of the event came back to him. "It was Pinehearst Pete. They obviously know something's happening on our side, so they came after us to try to weaken us."

"And it seems they almost succeeded" Eden said softly.

"Don't you even think like that Eden" Meredith said strongly. "Angela did a lot for this family and we're gonna continue the fight in her memory."

Nathan was almost shocked at the sudden tenaciousness his wife display. It was as if her ability had begun to manifest through her personality, which was something the family rarely witnessed.

Nathan rubbed Meredith's hand in reassurance. "We'll notify Gabriel and Elle tomorrow and we'll figure out where to go from there" Nathan said. He looked to Peter, almost asking his desired question with his dark brown eyes.

A smile swept its way across Peter's face "Sure you stay here. All of you can." Nathan smiled warmly, "Thank you."

Eden got up from her place, next to Peter and addressed the family; "I'll get your rooms ready."

Peter's mind was now a whirlwind of thoughts. He wondered who had made the hit of their mother, who had authorized it, who had called the shots, and where they were operating. Claire walked over to her uncle and cuddled him.

"Don't worry Peter. We'll figure this out. We'll do it together," she said in a husky tone. Peter wrapped his arm around the young girl and Claire lovingly leaned her head on his shoulder. She then got up and said goodnight to her family and headed to the room designated to her. Meredith was next to retire to her room for the night, leaving Nathan and Peter alone.

Peter was still struggling with what Nathan had told him. He still couldn't believe that their mother was gone, that someone had selfishly taken her life just to get at the current generation of Petrellis. What had been done to Angela was one of the worst crimes that could be committed against a family who just wanted a seemingly "normal" life. Yet in the Petrelli household, normal had never been an option.

"So what are we gonna do now? Are we gonna wait it out?" Peter asked, continuing to calm himself.

Nathan sighed, scratching his head "I dunno. I personally think we should wait it out, get back under the radar before we make our next move" he told his brother.

Peter nodded. "Good" he answered simply, "Cause I'll need the time."

"What do you mean Pete?" Nathan asked, narrowing his eyes in confusion. Peter blinked a few times, his face expressionless until it sunk.

"There's something I need to do before we go back into attack mode," Peter said.

"Well if you tell me what it is then maybe I can help," Nathan said in that _brotherly_-tone.

Peter shook his head lightly, his chocolate-brown hair falling in his face "I don't think you can help with this one Nathan. There's only one person who may be able to help me."

Nathan continued to look at his younger brother. He somehow knew what Peter was talking about, as he could see the man's fingers and hands twitching every now and then. "Is it your abilities?"

Peter nodded in response "Yeah."

"By the way, what happened that night at my offices?" Nathan inquired, leaning forward on the couch.

Peter mentally replayed the scene for himself, taking notice of every moment that was made, every action that was performed. He hung his head briefly before talking, "I-uh…I somehow managed to 'replicate' Gabriel's telekinesis without touching him" he told Nathan.

Nathan blinked wildly at first, almost in disbelief of what he had just heard "How is that possible? I thought the formula gave you a different ability."

Peter nodded. "Well it kinda did, yet the ability I've had for the passed couple of years is similar to my mimicry that I had before."

"Okay so let me get this straight," Nathan began "You and Gabriel were together in the building and _somehow _you were able to just 'absorb' one of his abilities?"

"Yeah. But I only seemed to absorb the ability that he was currently using" Peter explained.

Nathan thought about it for a moment and looked his brother in the face "What can you do now?"

Peter swallowed, "Well, I can fly, use telekinesis, I've got enhanced strength and I can read minds" he said.

Nathan pondered on what Peter had said and pointed to him "Do you think it's possible that your original ability has begun to just…come back?"

"I dunno…maybe," Peter answered.

"That may explain the reason you've been able to hold onto the abilities you have now," Nathan said with a smile.

Peter thought about what Nathan had just said and ran a hand through his hair "It could be. But I've also mastered the ability I have. That's why I've been able to hold onto the three abilities I have now."

"Correction! Four abilities" Nathan smirked.

"Anyways" Peter breathed, "I'm gonna try to get in touch with Mohinder and see what he has to say about it. He's back in New York now."

Nathan pursed his lips slightly "Are you sure you wanna bring him back into the fold?" Peter nodded.

"The guy's been through a lot. Who knows if he'll even wanna discuss abilities again" Nathan mused.

Peter was almost disappointed by his brother's statement, but he knew he had to do what he had intended. "Nathan this has to be done. I just…need to know."

Nathan got up and walked over to Peter, placing an arm around him, just like he used to do when they were kids. "Look I know you feel that you _have _to do this. But let's give it a few days. We'll call Mohinder when we're settled…okay?"

Peter exhaled slowly "Okay."

Nathan brought him in for a hug and kissed Peter on the head through his hair. "Let's get some sleep," he advised. Both the men got up from the couch and headed up stairs.

Before Peter reached the midway point, he quickly jumped back down and flicked his hand towards the front of the house, locking the door.

"You good?" Nathan asked. "Yup" Peter asked as he made his way up to the second floor.

"I'll get in touch with Gabriel and Elle tomorrow morning and I'll get them over here" he Nathan said, looking around the second floor of the house. "It'll be a lot better if we all stick together from now on. Meaning we'll be living back here at home for a while."

"Sounds like a good plan" Peter smiled.

"I love you Pete" Nathan said with a smirk.

"I know. I love you too Nathan" Peter replied.

With that the two men went their separate ways and headed to bed. Both of them remained awake for quite a while, staring up at the ceiling of their bedrooms. It was hard to shake everything that had occurred a few hours earlier, and the emotion was too much to keep inside. Each of them let out deep sobs of agony as the memory of their mother washed over them like a wave, breaking on the shore.

Meredith and Eden each comforted their men, wrapping them arms around them and holding them in their embrace, not telling the lovers go for a second. Claire could faintly hear the soft wails of her father and uncle, which subsequently caused her to tear-up and release her emotions.

The once buzzing Petrelli mansion had now become a house where tragedies broke forth, but because of the unbelievably strong bond between each of the family members, it was also I home where love prevailed and strength was released in the midst of pain and personal destruction.

Mohinder sat there, perched on the windowsill of his home like a human bird of some sort. He peered out into the city scope of Manhattan and exhaled slowly. He was now back in the city where so many monumental events had occurred. This very place where he had become one of the _extraordinary _individuals he had been searching out since the death of his father. He knew that his current thought process wasn't the best, but he wanted so desperately to avenge his father and take care of those who had pushed him into the life he had previously lived.

"You never deserved this life Chandra" Mohinder said quietly into the night air.

Mohinder hoped someday that he would reach the place of redemption his family deserved. He was the only one left of his lineage, and he had to do what was right by them…what was right by him.


	11. Chapter 10: RECONCILIATION

**CHAPTER TEN: RECONCILIATION**

As suspected the entire Petrelli family was now under one roof. After suffering the loss of their mother Nathan had called Gabriel and Elle to notify them of what had occurred. And just as he had thought, Gabriel didn't take the news so well. The middle child had instantly felt the sting of nausea and folded back into the mould of a much younger and fragile version of himself. Elle had reacted much the same way as her husband upon hearing the news surrounding Angela. Both of them had been pulled to the pit of despair, yet those in their family unit had gracefully pulled them out.

At Nathan's request Gabriel and Elle had packed their bags and flown to New York, the conventional way. Flying on a plane had never been easy for Elle and she had just gotten used to the whole "flying" thing, but she knew they had to keep themselves under the radar. And thankfully they had, as none of the authorities had picked up their trace as they departed California. In the home of their late-parents the entire family had finally gathered together, and this time it was for keeps.

Gabriel stood by the window of the rear porch, watching the rain-saturated streets begin to turn white as the snow began to fall. As he glanced around the room he couldn't escape the memory of his mother. Even in his darkest times she had been one of the people who managed to bring him back. How he wished he could've been there to save her.

"Gabriel…you okay?" Peter asked, standing a few feet from his brother.

Gabriel's face tensed up and then relaxed as he exhaled. "I can't believe this happened. I can't believe that we weren't there to keep Mom from being murdered."

'We didn't know. And none of us could've predicted what was going to happen" Peter counteracted.

"We should've been on our guard," Gabriel said, raising his voice, "Pinehearst obviously know us better than anyone else in the country, therefore they know our every move."

Peter stepped up to Gabriel, looking in straight in the face, "Pinehearst doesn't know us anymore. Yes they were targeting our mother but they don't know enough about us. We've grown stronger and wiser since dad was around, which makes it even harder for them to get a handle on us" Peter said.

"You really believe that huh," Gabriel asked.

"I do" Peter replied.

They both held each other's gaze until Gabriel disconnected. "I'm sorry Peter" he sighed, "I…I just can't believe she's gone. This wasn't meant to happen."

Peter could hear the deep sadness within the man's voice. His brother still seemed to be going through the motions of what had happened the previous night, and there wasn't an ability out there that could cure the pain.

Elle slowly entered the space to see Peter place a hand on her husband's shoulder. The electric-wielding blonde quickly made her way over to her significant other and wrapped her petite arms around him, burying her head in his chest. With thinking about it Gabriel wrapped his strong arms around Elle and held her tight as a deep sigh escaped his lips.

"Are you doin okay baby?" Elle asked softly.

Gabriel nodded, "I'm gettin there" he responded.

Peter exited the room, moving towards his father's old office. Upon entering he saw Nathan sitting behind a mid-sized wooden desk, staring at the computer screen with intent. This was typical for Nathan when he was in "work-mode", but this time posture wasn't that of a white-collar workingman…it was that of a leader, a protector…a patriarch.

Nathan looked up from the screen to see Peter leaning against the doorframe, "How's he doin?" he asked in reference to Gabriel.

"He's not doin so well, but we're all still in the same boat at the moment" Peter answered. He was still a little unsure of his future as well as the circumstances that currently faced them. He wanted to go talk to Mohinder, but he wasn't sure whether now was the appropriate time. Peter looked at the phone and thought to himself, he needed to at least leave his old friend a message.

"Where are the girls?" Peter asked as he stepped closer to the desk.

"Meredith and Claire went with Eden to do some more grocery shopping since we're all gonna be here for a while" Nathan said. He noticed Peter's distant expression, which instantly made him worried. "What's on your mind Pete?"

Peter didn't want to answer the question, but with someone like Nathan, there was no way he could keep his thoughts within himself. "I can't take it anymore. I need to go see Mohinder."

Nathan's eyebrows rose instantly at his brother's response, "We already spoke about this last night. I don't think he'll will be ready" Nathan said, slightly raising his voice.

"And how do you know that huh?" Peter asked, stepping forward. "How do you know what he's going through?"

"Okay. I may not exactly know what Suresh's current state of mind is, but what I do know is that he was struggling when we last saw him" Nathan replied. Peter shifted his gaze toward the window as his own angst gripped him.

"Why do you think he left the country for so long? He hasn't contacted any of us in two years, so what makes you think he'll be up for helping us now?" Nathan queried.

Peter ran a hand through his hair as he dampened his emotions. "He's still one of us Nathan. And he's the only person who's truly known both sides of this life" he said, glancing back to his brother. "I need to know what's happenin' to me, and he's the only person who might be able to help."

Nathan sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at the man who was now staring him in the face. He didn't want to bring anyone else into their family's mess…but Peter did need help. "Alright, give Mohinder a call. But just…don't say anything about the family."

"What if he asks?" Peter queried.

"Just tell him that we're fine, but we're dealin' with some stuff. But don't give any details" Nathan advise.

His brother's words caused Peter to smile, "Thanks Nathan. You don't know how much this means to me."

"I'm sure I've got some idea" Nathan responded. With a smile on his face Peter exited the room, leaving Nathan to his business.

****

Mohinder kicked the door closed as he entered his apartment and the door slammed on impact. He shuddered visibly at the cracking of the door against it's frame and quickly went back to check for damage. Thankfully there was none. Mohinder sighed to himself and took his jacket off, hanging it on the coat rack. Even though two years had passed, it wasn't almost as if Mohinder was still getting used to his abilities. The strength was one thing, but the agility was another, and it seemed to sneak up on him at the worst of times. Since returning from India he had noticed that his abilities had gone through a growth spurt, causing him to be able to jump higher and further as well as running faster than any normal human. Yet his speed could never prove a match for Daphne Millbrook.

Sometimes Mohinder found himself thinking about his old friends, the Petrellis, Matt Parkman, Hiro Nakamura, even Noah Bennett. His life had changed so much, and now he didn't have much contact with any of them.

"_Maybe I should give them a call_," he thought to himself. The least he could do was save the relationships he had with the only people who would ever understand him. Almost as if someone had heard his thoughts, the phone began to ring, "Hello" Mohinder answered.

"Mohinder? It's Peter" Peter said, excitement lightly painting his voice.

A small smile came on the man's face upon hearing his friend's voice, "Peter, how are you?"

"I'm doin well, how about you? Haven't heard from you in a while" Peter said.

Mohinder exhaled slowly "Yeah um I've just been settling in."

This confused Peter, "Wait a minute, how long have you been back in the States?" he asked.

"A while" Mohinder answered, "But I've been moving round here and there. Just laying low." His voice was raw and deep as he spoke, almost like he hadn't slept in days, or even weeks. Some of that was true as he was still getting used to being in a place that had turned his world upside down.

Peter stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter as the talked. He was almost getting worried about Mohinder, but he knew that he was capable of taking care of himself. "Have you seen anyone since you've been back?"

"How did you even know I was here Peter?" Mohinder asked, slightly dazed at the query.

"Noah told me you were here" Peter responded.

Mohinder smiled to himself, trust Bennett to notify the others of his return. Since the incident at Coyote Sands, the group of them had become somewhat of a distant family. After discovering the truth about their past, the only choice they had was to stick together. And although they had gone their separate ways, they all knew that they would never be able to get rid of each other.

"Well I must say that you were always one to be looking out for the well-being of others" Mohinder remarked as he walked to the kettle, switching it on. "So how's Eden?"

Peter smiled "She's doin great. We've been living in my mother's home for a while. She gave it to us as an engagement present." Peter's voice had trembled slightly when he mentioned his mother. He couldn't help it, but he didn't want to regurgitate the news of the previous night, the dust hadn't settled yet.

"Wow I have really been out of the loop. Congratulations to you guys" Mohinder smiled, "I always knew you two were meant to be together."

"Are you sure you weren't a precog and never told us about it?" Peter joked. The two men chuckled lightly over the phone, each of them relaxing upon hearing the joy in the other's voice.

"And what about the rest of the family? How are they?" the Indian man asked.

Peter stopped briefly to take a breath and looked towards Gabriel and Elle, who were still standing near the rear porch of the house. His brother was still seemed to be lamenting over the fact that they couldn't save their mother in time. Peter closed his eyes for a moment and reopened them.

"The family is doing well. We've actually got them here at our place at the moment. Nathan's been…" How was he going explain Nathan's situation? Hopefully Mohinder hadn't been paying too much attention to the recent news surrounding his brother.

"Peter?" Mohinder pressed.

"Sorry bout that. Nathan's been relieved from work for a while, so he, Meredith and Claire have come over for an extended stay. Gabriel and Elle decided to come too, so it's a full house…just like the old days" Peter smiled.

Gabriel looked away from the window and directed his gaze towards Peter who was on the phone. "Who is he talking too?" Gabriel asked, peering at his brother with intent.

Elle followed Gabriel's eyes towards Peter and shrugged "Who knows." Suddenly as if a spark of electricity had gone off in her brain, Elle's eyes widened "C'mon let's get outta here" she smiled.

"And go where?" Gabriel asked in a low tone, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Just the city. We both need to get some air" Elle replied tenderly. She could see the agony in her husband's eyes; it was just as bad for him as it was for her. And being in the house was just making matters worse. "C'mon" she said, pulling Gabriel away from the window.

"I assume Gabriel and Elle are enjoying married life?" Mohinder queried.

"They are indeed" Peter replied as he caught sight of them walking passed him.

"We're heading out for a while" Elle smiled. Gabriel just waved to Peter, who waved back.

"Yeah, their lives have just become better since they got married" Peter said.

"That's good to hear. Gabriel needed someone like Elle in his life" Mohinder comment. Peter nodded in response.

"So, why the courtesy call?" Mohinder asked, preparing a mug of coffee for himself.

Peter almost hesitated for a moment, but he knew this had to be done, for his sake. "Mohinder…I've begun to…notice advancements in my abilities again."

Mohinder's eyes rose slightly upon hearing the new development, "Go on" he said, walking to sit down in an armchair.

"The other night I was standing near Gabriel and I somehow picked up his telekinesis" Peter said.

"You mean you replicated it?" Mohinder asked.

"No. I…absorbed it" Peter answered.

This _was _a new development, especially for Mohinder. "H-How could this happen. According to what occurred with the formula, you were given a deviant of empathic mimicry," he noted.

"I know. But somehow I wasn't even touching Gabriel when I picked up his ability" Peter said. He folded his arms across his chest, adjusted his hold on the phone. "Do you have any idea what could be happening?"

Mohinder scratched his head as he thought. "I dunno ummm...it could be that your original ability could be remanifesting, or you've picked up on Gabriel's empathic –side of his intuitive aptitude."

Peter thought about it for a moment. That could've been true, yet it the sensation had felt so familiar and the transfer had been instantaneous. Although this was also true regarding ability replication.

"Mohinder I'd to come see you, talk to you in person about this."

Mohinder sighed, "I don't know Peter. To be honest with you, I've resigned from the genetics profession. I left that life behind when I went back to India" he said. "I'm sorry."

Peter didn't like the sound of this; he wanted…needed to know what was happening to him so he could get a handle on it. It was the only way he'd be able to defeat Pinehearst. "Mohinder please…I need your help" Peter choked.

Mohinder heard that tone of Peter's voice. He displayed desperation and a deep need for clarity, and Mohinder couldn't ignore that, not from someone he trusted so much. If it weren't for Peter and his family all of them could've been exposed _again_. He had always been thankful for the way the Petrellis had protected their kind, even if their methods weren't exactly conventional.

"Alright" he sighed, "I'll need to make a call first and then I'll let you know of the outcome."

"Thankyou Mohinder" Peter smiled. "Do you still have any equipment?"

"Not here at my apartment," Mohinder admitted, "but we could go to NYU and use some of theirs. I may have stepped down from the profession, but I've still got my credentials."

Peter could hear the gesture in his friend's voice, and this pleased him. Finally he was going to get some answers. "I'll be expecting your call," he said.

"Sounds good. I look forward to it" Mohinder replied.

"See you soon" Peter said. "You too Peter" Mohinder replied.

The call ended and Peter couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He knew that something good could come out of tragedy. Once he knew more about his condition, he would be able to help his family rid themselves of the threat that currently plagued them. Peter would make sure of it.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	12. Chapter 11: THE THREAT IN THE WIND

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE THREAT IN THE WIND**

Elle studied herself in the mirror, pulling her lips to the side and scrunching her nose as she took in every contour of the blood-red dress. Even though she was in a confined space, it actually felt good, at least she was out of the house and away from work. She was sure that her employer would understand the "extended" leave she had taken. After all it was in the interest of her family, not to mention the countless others that could possibly be affected by the outcome of her family's decisions, as well as the actions of Pinehearst.

Gabriel strolled back into the women's store holding a plastic bag in one hand, whilst eating an apple from the other. Some of the women in the shop eyed the tall, dark and mysterious Petrelli as he made his way towards the dressing rooms. He slowly made his through the racks of clothes towards one of the doors, where he could Elle's small legs peeking through the bottom.

"Are you almost done?" he asked in a low tone.

Elle straightened the dress out and rechecked herself before opening the door, striking a pose for her husband. "So…what do ya think?" she winked.

Gabriel stood there chewing on the apple like a child would and raised his eyebrows slightly "Mmmm. It-It's great honey" he said as he swallowed the piece of apple.

Elle put her hands on her hips and stared at him "Are you even paying attention Gabriel?" she asked with wide eyes. Gabriel stood there, continuing to eat his apple and nodded sincerely. Elle could see the sincerity and smiled at Gabriel, leaning forward to kiss his full lips.

"Okay I'm gonna get changed, and then we can head on our way" Elle said, turning back to the mirror.

Gabriel quickly peeked into the change room to see the four outfits Elle had chosen for herself, "You're not taking _all _of them, are you?" he asked with a slight frown.

Elle unzipped the back of the dress and let it fall off her shoulders and down to her waist, where she held it. "I sure am," she said, turning around to wink at him. She quickly ushered Gabriel out of the room and pulled the door closed so she could get dressed.

Meredith and Claire made their way up the cold New York street toward the mansion. Claire pulled the hood of her jacket over her head and readjusted the bags she was carrying. "Why couldn't we just have taken a cab?" she grumbled.

Meredith glanced over to her daughter, who didn't seem to be happy with the weather at all and then pointed at the street to their left. "Do you think we would've come this far if we were in that?" he said rhetorically.

Claire let out a small _**huff **_and continued walking. Apart from the low temperature, she was grateful for the time she was able to spend with her mother. And although this time had been proved to be hard for them, Claire knew that they were to use the time wisely and strengthen her relationship with her family members.

"Tell you what, I must admit that this weather sure beats what we used to get in Texas" Meredith commented. Claire let out a chuckle, which her mother caught onto.

"I guess New York _does _have its advantages" Claire smiled.

"And you should know. You've been here on more than one occasion thanks to that father of yours" Meredith said. Claire just smirked and continued walking.

About two blocks from the mansion Meredith suddenly felt a wave of heat pass over her and Claire as they walked passed an alleyway. While her daughter lapped up the warm sensation, Meredith cringed slightly. The feeling of the heat reminded her of someone from her past, someone who was closer to her than even Nathan or Claire. She whipped her head around to see where the source of the heat had come from.

"Mom…are you okay?" Claire asked as she stopped dead in her tracks. Meredith's eyes scanned the area with intent and she turned back toward the alley. Claire immediately followed her mother.

"Mom what's going on?" Claire asked, grabbing her mother by the arm.

Meredith just stood there staring into the empty alleyway. "There was someone here. The heat…it came from here" she said.

"Maybe it was from vent or something" Claire said honestly.

Meredith shook her head "It wasn't from a vent, because the heat passed over us" she said, looking back into the alley. Meredith's eyes narrowed as she searched the area, "He was here."

Now Claire was even more confused by her mother's sudden obsession with the invisible source of the mysterious heat. "What do you mean, who was here?" Claire asked, turning Meredith around to look her in the face.

Meredith's pupils grew slightly bigger as she peered into her daughter blue eyes, "Flint…my brother was here" she said.

Claire just stared at her mother. She didn't want to believe what her mother had just said. Claire only knew of one other person who could create and control fire like her mom, and if Meredith was right, then Claire's assumption was frighteningly true.

"C'mon let's get back" Meredith said, ushering her daughter back on the path towards the mansion. This couldn't be happening. First there was Nathan's inquisition by the State, then Pinehearst, Angela's mysterious and untimely death and now Flint. Meredith almost choked on her breath as they entered the mansion. Claire quickly caught her and helped her mother to the kitchen. Meredith didn't want to speak a word of this to anyone, especially not Nathan.

"Okay, you've gotta promise me that you won't breath a word of what just happened to anyone in this house, you hear?" Meredith said.

Claire took the groceries out of the bag and nodded to her, "Sure thing. My lips are sealed Mom." "Good" Meredith replied with a sigh.

If she could keep her suspicions under the covers, then it would protect her family from any further danger. And it would allow her to investigate Flint on her own.

Flint Gordon sat in the bar looking at the picture in his wallet of Meredith and himself. It had been so long since he had seen his sister. If it weren't for those wretched Primatech and Pinehearst companies, maybe he would've had a better life. And to have that life he needed to be with his big sister. Tears begun to well up in his eyes but he quickly wiped them away, taking some beer into his mouth.

"Don't you worry Mere, that was just the first contact. We'll be together again soon, and then no one will be able to touch us," he said to himself as he ran his thumb over the old photo.

After a few moments of sitting at the bar, glancing from the TV and back to the people around him Flint decided to leave. As he was about the walk out the front door, he saw some men in suits walking up to the bar. Flint quickly dashed out the back and into the alleyway. He put a hand to his chest as his heart pumped like a beating drum. Flint quickly checked the alleyway to make sure he was alone. Seeing that no one else was around, he circled the property and made his way down the long, busy street. He was lucky he didn't get caught; being caught wasn't something he could allow at the moment, especially with Arthur Petrelli supposedly on the loose.

He looked back down the stretch of road where he had previously seen Meredith and Claire. "I'll be back soon Mere. Just wait and see." With that he turned around and walked back to his apartment.

Nathan had finally made his way out of the office and was sitting near the rooftop, gazing out into the cloud-filled sky. All the research he had done had almost fried his brain and he wasn't sure he could take much more of it. Pinehearst was once again trying to destroy his family's life. Nathan just wished there was a way to know more about what the company was up to.

Meredith called out to her husband as she walked through the house. She looked around for him everywhere until she heard him call out "I'm up here." Meredith followed his voice until she reached the stairs that led up to the small room near the rooftop. Upon reaching the rooftop Meredith walked over to her husband, draping her arms around his shoulders and hugging him from behind.

"How have you been?" she asked.

Nathan drew in a breath and looked back to Meredith, "I've been trying to work out this whole thing with Pinehearst for the entire day, and I'm getting nowhere fast."

The blonde fire starter stroked the dark brown hair of her airborne husband and kissed his cheek, "I'm sure all the pieces will come together in time," she told him.

"But what if we don't have much time left" Nathan sighed. "I mean…look at what happened...to Ma," he said as tear slowly streamed from his eyes. Nathan had bottled up his emotions all day in his attempt to concentrate on the task at hand, and now it had proved to be a bad idea, as a wave of sickness washed over him.

Meredith embraced him further, kissing his hair and stroking it lovingly. "Shh-shh it's gonna be alright honey" she consoled. Meredith gently rocked back and forth as the politician wept almost bitterly, yet innocently as a child would.

"She was everything to this family…she was everything to…me" Nathan said through his tears. "Meredith it's unfair, unjust…it's evil what they did to her…to us" he said.

"I know" Meredith replied. She loosened her hold on him and walked around to the front of the chair to face him, "It's a tragedy yes, but we're not going to wallow in sadness. We'll grieve for a time, but then we'll get back up and we'll fight for this family. That's what your mother did all of these years and that's what she would want us to do." Meredith's tone was strong and unwavering as she spoke, despite the tears that had begun to roll down her face.

Nathan gazed upon his wife adoringly. He was so glad he had married her, even against his father's wishes. Meredith had a knack for being strong in times of trouble or despair, they both did. Maybe that's what had made them such a great couple. Nathan took a few breaths to calm himself and put a hand to Meredith's cheek, "You're right Mere. I've been trying to do this all alone, when we should really be attacking this situation together."

Meredith smiled at him, kissing his lips "Now that's the man I married." She wrapped her arms around Nathan once more, kissing his hair and running her hands through it. "Now, Claire and I bought some fresh food which is all in the kitchen. I'm gonna start making dinner soon, so don't make yourself too busy okay?"

"Okay" Nathan smiled. The two of them locked hands and made their way down to the kitchen.

As Meredith began preparing dinner, she couldn't help but to think of her brother. The intensity of the heat was so like Flint, he could never resist the chance to use his abilities in some way, shape or form. "_Was that really you?_" she thought to herself.

Claire had noticed her mother's far-off expression and looked at her quizzically. Meredith just nodded to Claire in acknowledgement of her suspicions. Claire knew she was going to find it difficult to keep the whole "Flint" situation between herself and her mother. She never liked keeping secrets from her family. There had already been enough of that through the years, and Claire didn't want that tradition to continue throughout the Petrelli line.

The door opened, allowing a gust of chilly wind to pass through the front entrance of the mansion as Gabriel and Elle walked in. Gabriel was the one carrying all the bags, which was the "_natural order of things_", according to Elle.

"Mmmm Meredith if I was as old as Nathan and a man, I think I would've married you" she said spitefully.

"Hey Sparky I heard that" Nathan called from his office. Upon his entrance to the kitchen he reached out and tickled Elle's soft spot. The small blonde yelped when her brother in-law touch her and opened her hand.

Blue-cyan sparks jumped from Elle's fingers and Nathan held his hands up in surrender, "Okay malady, I give up. Thy hands shalt never touch, thou places of ticklishness again" he said in an Old-English accent, and bowed.

Elle frowned and gestured towards him "Pft whatever Fly-Boy" she retorted. Gabriel then led his wife upstairs to put their bags away.

Eden came rushing through the door, her steps quick and her face stunned like that of a child who had done something wrong.

"Geez someone's in a hurry" Elle said, grabbing a stray carrot and eating it. She then looked to the front door "And would you mind closing the front door as well. It's freezing out there."

Gabriel came down the stairs and pointed a hand towards the door, attempting to close it. The door slammed forward, but stopped short. Gabriel tried pushing it again, but the door flew back open.

"Gosh ease up there" Peter smirked, "A guy can't even enter his own home without having to break into a fight."

Gabriel walked towards his younger brother "Sorry bout that, but Elle was…"

"Complaining about the weather, I know. I could hear her from outside" Peter remarked. The two men entered the space the rest of their family occupied as Peter brought in the rest of the grocery bags. "But that's what you get for wanting to live in California. No immunity to _real _weather."

Elle just shot Peter a cool, yet jocular glare.

"So I see that Eden got you carrying the bags as well" Gabriel smirked.

Eden turned to meet his eyes coldly, but playfully "And I assume that your wonderful wife you carrying in every single bag, all by yourself" she smirked.

Peter laughed at his fiancée's comment and looked to his brother "Elle's still got you doin her dirty work." Gabriel just shrugged it off, only to have Elle's petite hands placed on his chest.

"He does it out of a loving heart for _me_" Elle comment, giving Gabriel a kiss.

"Okay children that's enough" Meredith smirked. Nathan smiled and put his hand up in the air "I second that notion."

Elle just rolled her eyes as the family members that surrounded her chuckled quietly.

"Now see this is exactly how things are supposed to be in a family. No matter what tragedy comes upon us, we're able to rise back with vengeance" Eden commented.

Nathan nodded "She's right you know. We're stronger together than we are apart. And I think Ma would've wanted it this way." Nathan's words seemed to linger in the room, piercing the hearts of everyone who stood there.

"She was a great woman. One of the greatest women I've ever known" Elle choked. Gabriel put his arm around her and held her close, kissing her forehead.

Meredith heaved slightly as the buzzer went off, "Well it looks like dinner's ready" she smiled, as her and Claire went to prepare the table.

The family gathered around the table as Nathan said a prayer for the food and for their mother. The atmosphere was a lot more peaceful than it had been previously, and it was a nice change. It was as if the cool of the night had settled into their home, diffusing the fires of their anxiety and pain. The Petrellis couldn't have asked for a better way to spend their time together.

All the while

"Thank you very much. You don't know how much I appreciate your help" Mohinder said to Professor Walsh.

"Well I hope you know how glad we are to have you back on the campus. Even if it's only for a little while," Professor Walsh said, shaking the Indian man's hand. The two men smiled at each other as Mohinder exited the laboratory.

Mohinder smiled to himself as he strolled through the grounds of the university. The discussion with Professor Walsh, head of Biology and Genetics at New York University, had gone better than he had anticipated. He guessed there were quite a few people awaiting his return to America, yet it didn't mean that he would go back into his old profession. The only reason Mohinder was stepping back into the laboratory was because of the needs of an old friend. After that he would once again leave it all behind and resume his life.

As he neared the exit, something stopped Mohinder in his tracks. He concentrated on the sound until it became clearer to him and stood there ready to protect himself. Since leaving America for India, Mohinder's abilities had taken on a growth spurt; it was as if they had reverted back to their original state as they had been when he first injected himself, but minus the insect-factor. Now he not only possessed his incredible strength, but he had also been blessed with heightened senses and enhanced agility, making him possibly the world's best athlete.

Mohinder spun around and sniffed the air. Someone had been here, spying on him. He picked up the scent of strong cologne that lingered in the air, then the scent of human skin. It was warm and very masculine. Mohinder whipped his head around a few more times, scanning the area, using his enhanced sight to try and spot the unknown watchman. But to no avail did he find anyone.

A sigh escaped his lips as Mohinder slowly turned around to exit the grounds. "Who are you" he mused quietly. Mohinder quickly made his way across the street to a small strip between two buildings. He readjusted his bag, scanned the area and then leapt into the air, using his strength, speed and agility to move himself onto the roof. Once on the roof the enhanced Indian leapt from building to building and onto his apartment, all the while making sure he wasn't seen be unexpecting bystanders.

A man with slick hair sat up straight in his black Cadillac, holding a phone up to his ear, as he looked to the world outside.

"_Did you find him?" _asked the voice on the other end.

"Sure did. As a matter of fact he just left the grounds of the university" the man stated.

"_Did you see where he went?"_

"No Sir. He crossed the street and then he was gone" the man replied.

The voice on the other side of the phone sighed deeply. _"Well at least we have him in our sights. Keep an eye on him, he's…different from what he was before" _the voice explained.

"Will do Sir. And I'll report back to you if anything new arises" the man said. The call ended and the black Cadillac drove off into the night, unseen and unknown.

Upon arriving home Mohinder carefully made his way through the window that he had left unlocked for himself. He put his bag down and opened up his laptop, typing a quick email to Peter. He then went to fix himself some dinner and sat down on the couch, watching some late night television. As he sat there Mohinder couldn't help but to think that he had been watched and possibly followed. He wasn't one who was unwise to the hidden operations of the world, The Company and Pinehearst had made him aware of that. He just wanted to know who would be targeting him and why, especially after two years.

After a peaceful night of games, laughter and all-round Petrelli-madness, Peter had quickly retreated to the old office, which Nathan had now dubbed as his, to check his email. He saw the message Suresh had sent him and smiled. "Thank you Mohinder" Peter said quietly. He then got up and slowly made his way through the quiet house to his room, where he found Eden sleeping peacefully.

He ran a hand over her long, soft brown hair. "We're gonna have all our answers soon, and then we'll tear that company to pieces" he whispered, kissing her on the forehead.

Eden stirred lightly and turned around to hold onto the man who had whispered into her ear. Without saying anything she quietly prayed and hoped that what Peter had said would come true. Not just for the two of them, but for their entire family.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	13. CHAPTER 12: GENERATION GAPS

**CHAPTER TWELVE: GENERATION GAPS**

The room was dimly lit as usual and consumed by silence, just the way Arthur Petrelli liked it. Everything had been going according to plan. His wife was dead and finally out of his way, and his sons seemed to be afraid of what had been happening, or at least that's what Arthur thought. After Gabriel's murder attempt Arthur had made the conscious decision to _teach _his sons a lesson. If they weren't going to follow in his footsteps then they had to be punished. Arthur had no time to take pity on his sons, especially Nathan. The oldest Petrelli, the heir to the throne, was pathetic in Arthur's eyes. He has disowned his birthright as a Petrelli male, and Nathan's "birthright" was something that Arthur would never give back to him. If neither of his sons wanted to be part of the empire he was building then Arthur would have to get rid of them. If he didn't they would continue to be a like a cockroach, a vile infestation meddling with his work.

For Arthur it had always been about control and power. As he held the ability of Power Absorption, it meant a lot to him to be in a position of supremacy. That was the way it had always been, from his years with the now non-existent "Company" to his involvement as the head of Pinehearst. And now with his company at the peak of it's game, Arthur was determined to do things right. He wasn't going to allow his sons and their families to get in the way of the work he was doing. Even with all three of the Petrelli boys at their full strength, they would never be any match for Arthur and the people he had in his flock. Up until now Arthur had held strong to his conviction that he _was _the strongest and most able of his family, but his judgment day would come, and he would soon see himself in a completely different light.

Arthur picked up the phone and pressed on of the speed-dial buttons. The phone rang and was soon answered by a man, "Hello."

"Mister Melvandian, I'm about to send you the details for the next part of your assignment. You're still required to watch our targets, but if any of them makes a drastic move, or advances on you, use any force necessary to take them down. Do you understand?" Arthur explained.

Melvandian nodded "Yes sure I understand."

"Good. Now get your team together and move out. You've got a long day ahead of you" Arthur said. The two men ended the phone conversation and Arthur leaned back in his over-sized chair as he looked at the manila folders he had in his possession. He smiled and chuckled at himself as he viewed the information regarding his son's abilities.

"You're abilities aren't going to be enough to get you outta this mess boys" the former patriarch smiled to himself.

It had been well over two weeks now and Mohinder was still preparing everything for Peter's tests. He wanted to make sure that he did things right this time so he could give his friend the right information and a good result. As he set up the lab equipment and tested it, Mohinder couldn't help to think to himself that he was getting involved with the same kind of work that had caused him so much trouble in the past. The Indian man shook his head to rid himself of the stray thoughts.

"It's different this time. You're helping an old friend who is in need. There's no Company, no Pinehearst," he told himself. At least he _thought _there wasn't a Pinehearst, but he was going to be proved wrong in the near future.

Mohinder was convinced of his current conviction. Though unbeknown to him, he was about to get pulled back into the past that he had spent two years escaping from. He sighed to himself and took a sample of his own blood and DNA so he could test out the equipment. After a few minutes of taking the DNA through the usual test Mohinder's eyes widened at the results. He had thought that his DNA had remained _normal _while only a few markers were affected by the formula he had been washed in two years ago. Yet to his bewilderment he discovered that these genetic markers had been there all along. Somehow he had been born with the correct markers that gave others their abilities.

"Now wonder my abilities have evolved," he said to himself.

Mohinder quickly went to his computer and typed up some notes regarding his new discovery, whilst also making a voice recording of his findings. He looked at the results on the wide LCD screen with a wide grin on his face. With these finding he would be able to let Peter know the reason why his abilities had also"altered" or "reverted" back to their original state. Mohinder wiped a hand across his face and looked at his watch, he needed to get home and rest as he had spent the whole night setting up the equipment, whilst preparing himself for testing. He had finally got some right. No hiccups or mistakes. He had finally found a way to correctly monitor the advancement of the abilities he and his friends possessed. He finished switching off the rest of the equipment and locked up the room. It was now 11:45am and Mohinder knew he needed to get some substantial rest if he was going to be testing Peter in the near future.

Mohinder exited the grounds of the university as he had done not so long ago and ran over the road to the small alleyway. Upon reaching the small empty strip he picked up on someone's breathing. He spun around and looked for the source of the sound he was hearing. As he examined the street in front of him, Mohinder noticed a black car parking not too far from the area of the university that he worked in. Mohinder narrowed his eyes to try and see who was in the car, but because of the black tinted windows he could see no one.

"I know you're watching me now" he said to himself. Mohinder looked up to the roof and once again used his abilities to effortlessly propel himself from wall to wall until he reached his rooftop destination. He knew he would have to be extra careful now that he had seen the car outside the university. He couldn't be as carefree with his abilities, which meant he would have to begin driving to the lab once he commenced his work with Peter. As he leapt from building to building Mohinder couldn't help to think that he needed to let Peter and his family know about what he had seen. And if he was correct, then they might all be in danger.

Peter knew that it may have been dangerous for him to be out in the open, but he needed to get out. He couldn't hide like Nathan could. He was actually surprised that the Petrelli patriarch could stay hidden for so long. Peter guessed it was a good thing, at least that way Nathan would be able to keep his face out of the media spotlight. The youngest Petrelli stood near the edge of the rooftop, staring at the sky, when he heard someone coming up behind him.

Gabriel stepped alongside his brother and looked out to the cityscape, "Looks tempting doesn't it." He drew in a long breath, allowing the crisp cool air to filter into his warm body.

Peter glanced to his brother, and then back to the city "I just need to get outta here for a little while. Spread my wings ya know."

Gabriel chuckled lightly "I know the feeling little brother" he said. Suddenly his brow furrowed and he his voice dropped low "But we have to be careful. Now that we know Pinehearst is on our tails, we can't just go out there and do life the way we used too." Gabriel's eyes were intense. He hated the fact that their family was under so much stress. He wanted to live his life in peace, but it didn't look like he would be able to fulfil that dream anytime soon.

"Gabriel I need to _feel _free. It's been over a month since we got word about Nathan and suddenly our lives have back flipped to 2009" Peter said. An aggravated sighed came from him as he pounded his fist onto the small concrete pillar in front of him. "We _need _to stop this Gabriel."

"I know what we have to do Peter. Nathan is sorting everything out as we speak. I know he'll have a plan of action soon," Gabriel told him. He felt as if his words were falling on deaf ears, but Peter nodded in acknowledgement.

"I just gotta get some air," Peter said. Without warning Peter propelled himself into sky, going supersonic in an instant. The air almost turned him to ice as he flew high above the buildings that were scattered around New York, but it didn't affect him too much. Peter just wanted to feel alive again.

Gabriel looked into the sky as his brother took off like a bullet. It seemed that he and Peter had received all the benefits of Nathan's ability, as all three of them were ability to achieve supersonic speeds in the blink of an eye. He shook his head lightly "Be wise up there Peter" Gabriel said to himself.

As Gabriel re-entered the house Nathan strolled up to him, quickly glancing out the door "How's Peter?" he asked.

Gabriel glanced back out towards the small patio area outside, "He's…gone out for a little while."

Nathan looked outside the house and sighed, rubbing a hand over his face "Just when I needed him to stay put, he just…flies off." A grunt of disapproval came from Nathan as put his hands on his hips.

"Just…give him space. You know what Peter's like when he feels trapped," Gabriel mentioned as he stepped closer to Nathan.

Nathan hung his head briefly and scratched the back of his neck. This was typical of Peter to go "running off" the way he did. That part of his youngest brother hadn't change. When life got too hard or intense, Peter would run to recuperate, and then return once his mind was right. "Well he better come back soon, cause we've got some planning to do."

Eden sat alone in the theatre room that her and Peter had built. Today had been the only day she could actually relax and not have to worry about the complexities of life. She finally felt relieved of her passed stresses, even though she knew the fight for their lives wasn't over yet.

The large screen caused light to flicker onto the back wall of the room as Claire walked in. She saw Eden all by herself in one of the big chairs that filled the spacious room. "What you watchin Eden?" the young blonde asked.

Eden looked over to Claire and handed the bag of popcorn to her "Serendipity" she smiled, feeding the popcorn into her mouth one-by-one.

Claire face lit up and she sat herself next to Eden as she ate a handful of popcorn. She knew it wasn't very lady-like, but Claire didn't care. She tried to smile through her mouthful of popcorn as she saw John Cusack walk on screen. "You know…for an older guy, he's really sweet in this movie" she mused.

Eden could see the expression of wonder on Claire's face as the blonde healer looked up to the big screen in front of them. "Whatever happened to West?" Eden asked, "From what I heard he was a _real _gentleman" she smiled.

Claire smiled, her cheeks a faint hint of pink. "Yeah" she breathed, "He was great. I-I just wish I didn't have to leave him the way I did" she sighed, playing with the popcorn in her hands.

Eden tilted her head to the side, a her long fringe falling in her face "I'm sure he's safe. I doubt he would've allowed himself to get caught by the Company or the people form ole Build 26."

Claire just sighed once more as she thought about the only guy who had ever truly loved her, and whom she had truly loved. "Yeah you're probably right," she said, looking back up at the screen. "John Cusack's character in this movie actually reminds me a lot of West" she smiled.

Eden's mouth curled up at the ends, and then split into a full-blown grin "That's what I like to see." Claire looked back to the pixie-like brunette and smiled at her. Somehow the atmosphere had seemed to warm-up. It was a nice change from the tense chill of their current situation. Eden and Claire both pulled their legs to their chest as they continued to watch the movie, allowing the comforting atmosphere to completely envelope them.

Amongst the peacefulness of the Petrelli mansion, Elle had been stuck upstairs in her room fighting off a case of the flu. The small blonde coughed wildly as Meredith entered the room with a hot thermos of honey and lemon tea.

"Thank you" Elle said hoarsely.

Meredith bent down to kiss her sister in-law on the forehead. "How're ya doin?"

Elle sniffled slightly and managed to push herself up into a sitting position. "I'm doin okay. If this damned flu goes away soon then I'll be better," she said in a congested tone.

Meredith ran a hand through Elle's golden-blonde hair and sighed lightly "Well don't you hesitate to give me a call. I'll be around."

Elle nodded in a child-like manner, "Okay" she replied softly.

The fire-wielding Petrelli quickly retreated to the bathroom and came back into the room with a hot water bottle in-hand. "This should get you up and running in no time," she said.

Elle simply smiled at Meredith's gesture and snuggled back into her blankets, with the hot water bottle wrapped up amongst them and settled down to sleep.

Gabriel and Nathan sat in the office of their late father as they waited for Peter to get in. Nathan had finally made some headway with the State-inquiry as well as the Pinehearst business. He didn't want to wait any longer to make another move.

"I'm back, what's up?" Peter asked as he entered the office, closing the door behind him.

Nathan looked at his brothers and got up from where he was seated, begin to pace around the room. "Alright I've made a connection with the whole State-inquiry business, and you won't believe who's been behind it all…"

Gabriel looked to Nathan, his expression tense "Pinehearst."

"Exactly" Nathan answered. He went back to the desk to grab the pages he had printed out earlier and fingered through them. "The lead guy from the Senate office in D.C. was Pinehearst main contact this whole time. Obviously someone's trying to take me down, and drag the rest of the family along."

"So Pinehearst were the ones who orchestrated the inquiry. What about Mom?" Peter asked.

"I haven't got that far yet. But I have a plan" Nathan said.

Gabriel and Peter looked to their brother with hope upon his mention of a plan. "What are we gonna do. I hope it's not more re-con cause after the Senate office, I don't think it would be wise" Gabriel said.

"But we can't just go in there with our guns blazing. It'll just stir up more trouble for us" Peter mentioned.

"I think Gabriel might be right Peter" Nathan said.

"How?" Peter spat back.

"If we continue to sit around like this then they'll bust in here and run us over. Peter we can't let them scare us into hiding anymore. We have to move on from here and move _in _on them," Nathan said.

Peter and Gabriel just looked at each other. They knew Nathan was right. It would be an extremely huge risk for them to take by going back into the open, but they were already used to those kinds of situations. Nathan looked at his brothers as they came to conclusion.

"So are you guys in on this one?" Nathan asked, his eyes darting between his brothers. Gabriel and Peter nodded in unison. "Alright" Nathan said, standing up straight, "We leave for Fort Lee tonight."

"Wait. What makes you think they're still in New Jersey?" Peter asked.

Nathan turned a page and put it in Peter's face "That's how I know" he smiled.

Peter looked at the page and smirked "Looks like they couldn't leave the comforts of home."

So the stage was set. Nathan had notified the girls of their plan and they agreed that it was the right thing to do, although Eden was still worried for Peter and the situation surrounding his abilities. No one knew about his slight dilemma, as Peter wanted to keep it under wraps until he had seen Mohinder.

Nathan once again zipped up his bomber jacket as he looked at himself in the mirror. He almost couldn't believe that they were going to go back to the place where he had betrayed his brothers. He shook his head to rid himself of the thought. He had to have his mind in the right place for their mission to be a success. Pinehearst had been leaving them enough calling cards over the last month, and now it was their turn to fight back.

The family reassembled in the foyer of the mansion, all clad in dark colors, each of them accompanied by a beanie and scarf. They all eyed each other, making sure they were all on the same page.

"I guess it's now or never," Elle mentioned, coughing slightly and popping another throat lozenge into her mouth.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Meredith asked. Elle nodded and pulled her beanie further down her head.

The group walked out to the rooftop, where the bitter cool air stung like the aftermath of a mosquito bite. Nathan accessed the skies before looking back to his family, "Whatever you do, stay close."

Peter and Gabriel nodded, as they were the designated flyers for Elle, Eden and Claire. Meredith held onto Nathan and he took to the skies. Gabriel did one more check-up on Elle before picking the petite woman up in his arms and flying off the rooftop. Peter took a breath as he once again utilized his enhanced strength. Eden and Claire held onto him and the three of them shot up into the air with ease.

Arthur Petrelli looked at the screen as he read the messages concerning the news of his former family. As usual it seemed that he had the upper hand. From what he had read, Nathan and the rest of the family were still in New York and barely venturing out of the mansion. He wanted them to feel trapped, helpless and afraid. Arthur had acquired more manpower than before, and this time they had a few more abilities at their disposal. The younger generation of Petrellis didn't stand a chance; they were in way over their heads.

Arthur smiled to himself as he mused over the possible fate of his family. Although a father should never have thought of destroying his family, Arthur on the other hand had resigned from such notions. His family weren't exactly the people he had originally thought they would be. His boys had grown too soft and were now hiding their abilities from the world, instead of using them to _advance _mankind.

He picked up the phone and speed-dialled the head of operations. "Mister Melvandian, I want you to make sure that the perimeter is secure and put a few extra men throughout the building."

"Are we expecting company Sir?" Melvandian asked.

Arthur smiled to himself "There's the slight possibility that some old friends could be coming by."

Melvandian could hear the sinister tone in Arthur's voice and he smiled, "I'll get right on that Mister Petrelli."

"Thank You" Arthur replied, hanging up the line.

Tonight was turning out to be quite the night. Arthur lifted the drawing pad to his line of sight and smiled. He traced the picture with his fingers, tilting his head to the side and chuckling darkly. "Oh boys…if only you knew _exactly _what you were in for" Arthur said to himself. He put the drawing back on his desk and got up to pour himself some brandy. He then walked back to the desk to look at the collection of images that displayed his family infiltrating the complex and smiled.

_TO BE CONTINUED..._


	14. Chapter 13: SINS OF OUR FATHER

**A/N: Sorry for the delay my dear readers. Life has once again been busy, and I kinda lost my writing-muse for quite a few days as i began the transition of the next phase of my brief life here in America. Anyways here's the next exciting chapter in the almost-never ending saga of the Petrelli family. R & R. Love yas**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SINS OF OUR FATHER**

Once again the Petrelli clan was cloaked in darkness, which provided the perfect cover for their plans of infiltration. Just as Nathan had expected, Pinehearst didn't seemed to be guarded from the outside, which is what Arthur had planned. But it wasn't going to keep Nathan from truly obtaining the redemption he and his family rightly deserved.

As Arthur had once said "_Revenge is in our blood_". For Nathan this was more about freedom and a new life for the Petrellis, revenge was sickness that had caused Arthur to become the numb-repressive individual he was today. And it was time to show their late-father what their family was _really _about.

"Looks pretty empty out there" Meredith said, as they sat several feet away, peering at the building.

Nathan was squatted behind his wife as he assessed the situation. He shook his head as he looked to the dimly lit exterior of Pinehearst, the very place he once occupied in an attempt to "make the world a better place".

"Hey you okay?" Meredith asked. She looked at her husband with intent. The whole way there Nathan had seemed very one-track in his thinking. He had always been a man who was dedicated to any cause that was put in front of him. But this time there was an almost overwhelming intensity that underlined his staunch expression.

"I knew he'd do things like this" Nathan mused. Meredith looked at him in confusion. "Arthur somehow knew we'd be coming, so instead of lining the exterior of Pinehearst with his men, he decided to keep them inside."

"How do you know that?" Eden asked, turning to face the new patriarch. Peter placed a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her, but Eden wasn't "in the mood" to be calm. She wanted to take all that anger and pent-up frustration and unleash it on one of Arthur's unsuspecting cohorts, or maybe just upon Arthur himself.

"Yeah. How _did _you know Arthur would do such a thing?" Elle asked with a frown.

Meanwhile Gabriel sat there looking out for movement of any kind. How he wished he still had his enhanced hearing. The Shanti Virus had stripped him of almost all his previous abilities, all except telekinesis of course. Besides his intuitive aptitude, telekinesis was the result of the guilt he had brought upon himself for the death of poor Brian, all those years ago. Yet since finding his redemption in the form of his wife, and his empathy, Gabriel had been able to forgive himself and get rid of all the shame and heartache of those who had died at his hands.

Nathan looked around at the women who were now querying him about their current situation. Nathan shot a glance to Peter who just shrugged as if to say "You've gotta answer to _them _now".

Nathan mentally prepared himself for what he was about to say, because he needed it to come out right. "After the last time we were at Pinehearst, I figured Dad…I figured that Arthur would've learnt from his mistakes of not having enough security around the complex, as it only took Peter, Gabriel…and a few others to completely own the place" he explained.

"You really think it's that simple?" Eden asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah…I do" Nathan replied.

"One thing you have to learn about Arthur is that he's a simple man," Peter stated, "According to our mother, after Arthur discovered his abilities, he became highly dependent on them. He would use them whenever he could to manipulate people, and he was good at it" he explained.

"But over time the old man became sloppy and almost took it for granted that his abilities worked on _everyone_" Nathan added.

"But they _did _work on everyone. I mean…look at how many people he was able to get under him and his vision for Pinehearst" Elle said.

"That was pure manipulation. No mental abilities needed" Nathan answered.

"And how is this going to help us exactly?" Gabriel asked, looking back to the rest of his family. "We can sit out here recounting the history of the man, or we can go inside and get the job done."

"It's not gonna be that simple. You remember what happened at the Senate offices and with Mom" Nathan reminded his brother.

Gabriel hung his held slightly as the memory of his mother's recent death revealed itself in his mind. Peter put a hand on his brother's shoulder and rubbed it, to which Gabriel gave a small, but pleasant smile.

"Well then, if there's gonna be some _extra _help in there, maybe we should split up or something" Claire interjected.

"No way" Elle replied, "Last time we did that, I almost got killed and first floor of that office building was torn to shreds."

"Not to mention our hasty getaway," Eden added.

"They're right Claire, we can't be too careless about this" Meredith told her daughter. Claire gave a short _**huff **_of disappointment and directed her gaze back to her father who was leading the charge.

"We gotta stick together…and if we get separated, we find our way back to each other. Got it?" Nathan said. The rest of the clan nodded in his direction.

The group of 7 got up from their crouched positions and began to move slowly towards the building. They kept within a few inches from each other as they walked side-by-side, each person scanning to the left and to the right. Upon reaching the front door, Nathan attempted to open it, but Gabriel flicked a finger, unlatching the door with ease.

"Well, they definitely knew we were coming" Gabriel remarked as the rest of them walked into the foyer.

Nathan looked around for any sign of security, but there wasn't a soul in sight. Something didn't feel right. If Arthur knew they were coming, surely he would've put someone within a few feet of the main entrance.

"Are you still sure about that epiphany of yours, regarding Arthur?" Eden asked Nathan.

Nathan just glanced at her, his expression giving her the answer she was looking for.

"Maybe we should try going straight to his office? No doubt he'll be stuck in there?" Peter suggested.

"How can you be sure of that? You could end being just like your big brother over there" Eden said.

"Last time we were here, Arthur was in his office. It's like his "arena" or sorts" Peter replied. Eden just nodded reluctantly and continued to follow the group.

Suddenly as if out of the blue, stepped a man, mostly likely in his mid forties, with a smug look on his face. "I see you finally made it," he said to the group.

"I'm guessing your just one of Arthur's hired muscle" Nathan remarked.

The slick dark haired man laughed at the oldest Petrelli and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You obviously have no idea what your up against. Things have changed since your last little stint here at Pinehearst. We're a lot more…able then you ever were, Nathan" he chuckled.

"_This guy's like a human Michelin Man_" Claire thought to herself.

"Well aren't you glad we did our homework" Gabriel said, stepping closer toward Nathan. He could feel a _need _to lash out of the broad, muscular man who stood in front of them. But Gabriel wasn't going to let his enemy take advantage too easily. He would wait until the first move was made.

"Homework!" the man remarked, "I didn't know senators still did that these days. It just shows how much your lacking in your ability to lead."

Nathan went to step forward, but Meredith caught his arm. He looked back to her and saw her begged him not to move…not yet.

"I see you're wife still has you by the belt" he remarked.

Meredith stared at their assailant and opened a hand; fire ignited instantly and lit up the area they occupied.

"I'm not scared of any fire bug. But enough talk…time for action." The human giant rushed at the Petrellis and swung an arm, attempting to hit Elle. The feisty blonde dodged the attack and hurled an arc of electricity at him. The man thrust out his chest, almost to absorb the onslaught. He relaxed and smirked at Elle "Nice try Sparky."

"Gosh I hate it when people…" Before she could finish her piece, Elle was knocked to the ground. She landed with a thud and tried to lift herself to her feet, but was unable to.

"ELLE!" Gabriel shouted. He stepped toward to man who tried then took a swing at him. Gabriel lifted a hand and stopped the man's hand in mid-air.

"One of those TK punks huh" he snorted.

"I'm more than that. I know exactly how you work butterbean. And it's only a matter of time before I break you in two" Gabriel growled.

"Try me slick!" the man muttered.

As Gabriel held the human giant in place, he took his other hand and swung it wildly. The force of Gabriel's attack was so fierce that it caused the man to flipped over and fly into a nearby wall.

"You okay?" Nathan asked, almost frantically.

Gabriel nodded, taking a few breaths "I'll be fine once this over-sized mass of glands in put to waste."

Slowly but surely the man emerged from the rubble and stepped towards the remaining Petrellis. Claire looked towards her father, who seemed to be thinking of a plan.

"Maybe we should split up and go looking for the old man," she suggested.

"Good idea" Nathan replied. "Meredith, Claire come with me," he said. Nathan looked back to the others, "Are you guys gonna be alright with this guy?"

"Just go. We'll handle him," Peter said. Nathan nodded to his baby brother and set off with his girls to find Arthur.

"I gotta tell ya slick, you've got some juice stored up in there. But it wasn't _enough_." The man swung a fist at Gabriel, sending him flying across the room. Luckily for him, Gabriel had used his telekinesis to break his fall.

"Gabriel, are you okay?" Eden asked as she rushed over to aid him.

Gabriel slowly pushed himself up and nodded to her as he cracked his back into place, while the rest of his wounds healed. "Don't get too close to him. He'll kill you."

"I already know that" Eden replied.

"Go check on Elle" he advised. Eden nodded and looked over to where Elle was.

"DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Eden screamed. The dual-tone in her voice caught the man off-guard and he stopped. He looked to Eden and backed up, staring at her as if he had done something wrong.

Suddenly the man was hit from the side, as Peter flew him towards the other side of the foyer. The two men hit the wall hard and the room shook as the force of their impacted reverberated through the area.

Peter pushed himself off the man and wiped the blood from his nose and forehead, and felt himself begin to heal. He took a few steps back and assessed the situation. It didn't look like the man was going to be getting up anytime soon.

"Peter what did you do?" Gabriel asked, stepping up to him.

Peter looked back to his brother "I-I dunno. I think I attempted to use flight and telekinesis at once, but when I hit the guy, the force became so much stronger" he replied.

"Hence this _almost _gapping hole in the wall" Gabriel said, looking at the damage Peter had inflicted.

Eden came over with Elle, who was now back on her feet, yet a little disorientated. "Oh my gosh…Peter did this?" Elle asked.

Gabriel nodded in reply.

"I still don't know how it happened," Peter said.

"Well from what I picked up before, this guy has enhanced strength, but also enhanced endurance, which means he can withstand almost any attack. But in this case it doesn't even look like he could handle his own" Gabriel said.

"Are you saying Peter absorbed this guy's ability?" Eden asked, frowning.

"It's a possibility," Gabriel answered.

"But how…with you I didn't touch you and I mimicked your ability, but with this guy when I touched him, I absorbed his ability" Peter stated. He ran a hand through his hair in disbelief. "What's happening to me?"

Eden quickly went to embrace her lover "We'll figure it out. But for now we better get movin. Who knows how many enhancements Arthur's got hiding around here."

Just as the four of them were about to leave, the man emerged from the rubble once again, staggering towards the people who were once his victims. "Wait…we're NOT done here" he blurted.

"Yeah we are. Now _**drop dead**_," Eden said.

Immediately the man's eyes rolled back and he fell face-first onto the ground. Elle jumped a little upon feeling the ground rumble beneath her. She held onto Gabriel for dear life and looked up into his eyes.

"God I'm glad I got you," she said.

"Same here" he said, kissing her lips sweetly.

"C'mon people, we're not done yet. I don't wanna have to work my mojo on you as well" Eden said.

Elle held onto Gabriel's hand as they followed their longhaired companions towards the elevator. Upon entering the small metal box the atmosphere was still. Everyone stood with their significant others, not saying a word. The overall atmosphere of Pinehearst had proved to be even more on edge than they originally thought. Arthur had obviously done his homework, and they had to expect another challenge once they exited the elevator.

Eden squeezed Peter's hand and rubbed it lovingly. She didn't want to say it out loud, but she was still a worried for him, and the current state his powers were in.

Peter didn't need to read Eden's mind to know what she was currently thinking as her gestures had said enough. "_I'll be fine,_" he said mentally. Eden nodded and squeezed his hand once more.

"Are you alright?" Gabriel asked Elle, his voice tender.

The blonde nodded "Yeah I think I'll be fine. But that's the last time I let myself get beat down during a fight" she replied. The elevator began to glow with the cyan light of Elle's ability as she prepared herself to attack.

The elevator came to a holt as they reached the second floor. Gabriel was the first to exit. He looked down both ends of the corridor; "The coast is clear" he told the others.

Elle, Eden and Peter walked out of the elevator and the four of them regrouped. "Well it seems that Arthur has kept the place on lockdown" Eden remarked.

"That's typical of the old guy. If Nathan was right, and Arthur _did _know we were coming, he would've made sure the place was prepped for a fight" Peter told her.

"What about Nathan, Meredith and Claire?" Gabriel asked.

"They've gone to find Arthur, so I'm guessing we've been put in the front lines this time" Peter replied.

A smirk appeared on Elle's face as she heard Peter's words, "I like the way Nathan thinks" she said, her hand still cracking with electricity.

Gabriel did one more sweep of the corridor before looking at to his family, "Let's bring 'em hell," he said.

The others nodded and set out down the corridor in a square formation, Gabriel and Elle in front with Peter and Eden behind them.

The hallways of Pinehearst were deathly quiet as Nathan, Meredith and Claire carefully made their way towards Arthur's office. Meredith and Claire stayed close to Nathan as they flanked Nathan.

"This seems almost eerie don't you think" Claire said.

"No. This is typical of Arthur. He likes to create an atmosphere where your anxieties get the best of you" Nathan replied.

"And how are you holdin up?" Meredith asked.

"I'm fine…but I'll be better once I'm staring that man in the face as he lays unconscious on the floor" Nathan said.

"You're gonna kill him, with what?" Meredith asked.

"You _do _realize that he _is _one of the most powerful people on the planet" Claire reminded him.

Nathan nodded "I know all of that. But you have to remember that we've increased in power as well. We don't have to fear Arthur, cause if we do, then he'll see our weaknesses."

Meredith and Claire both nodded to Nathan. But Claire couldn't help but to feel scared of what could happen to them if their plan didn't work out.

As they continued to walk there was a noise from behind them. Claire spun around to see what the source of the commotion was.

"Shh" she said, but her parents kept walking. "Guys I think…" Claire was silenced in an instant as she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her.

"What did you say Claire?" Meredith asked. She spun around, expecting to see her daughter behind them, but she saw no one. An audible gasp could be heard as Meredith covered her mouth in shock.

Nathan spun around, grabbing his wife's arm "Meredith what is…" Nathan looked around frantically for Claire. He could feel his heart rate increasing rapidly; so much that Meredith could feel his pulse speed up in his palm.

"Nathan…she's been taken" Meredith trembled.

Nathan held Meredith close to him, as she heaved into his chest. "We're gonna fine her Meredith," Nathan said, "Arthur may think he got his trump, but the game isn't over yet."

Claire found herself being carried into a dark room and being placed into a chair. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break out of the bounds she had been placed in. She even broke her wrist several times in an attempt to escape, but it continuously healed, which was both a blessed and a curse in her current situation.

"So Claire, we finally have the pleasure of meeting face-to-face" the voice said.

"What do you want with me? Why am I here" Claire said in a low, menacing tone.

"You're here because you're the catalyst," the voice said.

"Not anymore. The catalyst was destroyed" the young blonde spat.

"The scientific catalyst may have been destroyed…but you my dear are still the catalyst."

"What?" Claire exhaled.

"You're going to be the one who will finally bring this family to their knees."

Claire's eyes widened in fear as she saw the figure emerge from the shadows. And it was none other than the devil himself…it was Arthur Petrelli.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	15. CHAPTER FOURTEEN: HEIRS TO THE THRONE

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: HEIRS TO THE THRONE**

Claire just sat there staring the man in the face. Her lips were tight, while the rest of her body was composed in a manner that masked her fear. She didn't want Arthur to know that she feared for her life, as that would only make matters worse for her.

"So you _are _a feisty young woman" Arthur smirked, "The tales seem to be true."

"What do you want with me?" Claire said between her teeth.

"I told you Claire, you're the catalyst," Arthur repeated once more.

"There…is…no…catalyst" Claire retorted.

"Well, someone has to round up the Petrellis. And don't even bother asking me _why_. Just know that you're the perfect candidate" Arthur said. With a smile the grey-haired man turned around and exited the room, the door closing behind him, causing a small echo to reverberate through the room.

Claire once again struggled against her bounds and broke both her wrists in the process. She glanced over her shoulders to witness her body mend itself as usual and gave a grunt of frustration.

"Please, please come for me" Claire whispered into the air, as she vocalized her thoughts. Hopefully Peter would hear her, as he was her first point of call.

* * *

Peter, Gabriel, Elle and Eden had slowly begun their decent down the darkened hallway, when Peter's eyes wide. He could hear Claire's voice in his mind; the young woman appeared distressed, yet frustrated, which only made Peter worry.

"What is it?" Eden asked, placing a hand on Peter's shoulder.

"It's Claire" Peter replied.

Gabriel looked to his brother and instantly understood his dilemma. "Claire's in trouble…she's been…taken?"

"Wait, what the hell…are you reading my mind?" Peter asked.

"I don't need too. I can understand how you're feeling, therefore I could pick up on Claire's distress call" Gabriel answered.

"How does that work? If you're not acquiring his ability, then what are you doing?" Eden asked, equally confused as Peter.

"It' called Empathy" Elle and Gabriel said in unison.

"Oh…kay" Peter said, glowering slightly.

"Do you know where Claire is?" Elle asked.

Peter shook his head "I don't have a clue, but from the ambience around her, it sounded like she was in a small room."

"There's gotta be at least forty or fifty different interrogation rooms in this place. It'll take forever to find her," Eden stressed.

"Do you suggest we split up" Elle inquired.

"No way. We've already done that too many times, and it always seems to end in strife. We're gonna stick together, find her and then go after the old man" Gabriel told the others.

Elle, Peter and Eden were almost shocked at Gabriel's resolute attitude. This was a side of him the others hadn't witness in a long time, and hopefully it would stay.

"Let's go find the old man then" Eden said, her full, pink lips pulling into smile.

* * *

They had searched every room and hallway they could, but still no sign of Claire. Meredith was beginning to get so anxious that her hands were beginning to burn up more than usual, resulting in short burst of concentrated flames. Meanwhile Nathan was trying to keep his head together, calm his wife and focus on their prime objective, which had now been thwarted with the disappearance of their daughter.

"I-uh, I dunno where else to look Nathan. We're never gonna find her" Meredith expressed with worry.

Nathan instantly spun around and went to his wife's side to comfort her. Holding Meredith's face in his hands, Nathan stared into her sparkling blue eyes, "Don't you dare think like that. We're gonna find Claire, and then we're going to make my father pay for everything that he's done to us" he told her.

Meredith wiped her face clean of the stray tears that had stained her, "So where do we look?" she asked, her voice almost choking on tears.

"We've been down here for too long, which obviously means they've taken her and locked her away" Nathan mused.

An audible gasp came from Meredith as she her anxiety began to manifest itself in horrifying visions of her daughter, alone and dead. Nathan wrapped his arms around Meredith, running his fingers through her hair and kissing her forehead.

"C'mon lets go get our baby girl" Nathan said, grabbing a hold of his wife's hand.

Meredith closed her eyes briefly as she regained control over her abilities. She gave Nathan a smile of reassurance and the two of them set off towards the lobby. Upon entering the lobby Meredith almost jumped out her skin at the sight of a large, hefty-looking man who lay on the floor. "Looks like those four had a hell of a fight on their hands" she commented.

"By the looks of that guy, he didn't stand a chance in the end" Nathan said as they walked towards the elevator. Nathan grunted slightly as he saw that the elevators weren't operational. From what Nathan could see, one elevator had been taken, while the other remained on the ground floor.

"Looks like you're hitchin' a ride with me little lady" Nathan remarked.

Meredith wrapped her arms around Nathan and in a flash they soared up toward the second floor. Upon reaching the suspended elevator, Nathan managed to squeeze himself and Meredith passed the seemingly large metal box and through the hatch.

The two Petrellis now found themselves on an empty, and dimly lit second floor. If Nathan's suspicions were correct, Claire might have been taken closet to the main office, of just below it.

"Where do we start?" Meredith asked.

"We'll down that way" Nathan said motioning to his right. "If I remember correctly, that's where Arthur used to keep most of his detainees. Claire would have to be in one of those rooms," he told her.

"Are you sure? Remember it's been over two years since any of us heard about Arthur. And for all we know, they could've changed the rooms around" Meredith said.

"Mere you just gotta trust me on this one" Nathan said, putting his hand on hers.

"I do honey, I do trust you" she replied with a warm smile, squeezing his hand affectionately.

Nathan held onto his wife's hand as they begun their search down the dark corridor. They hoped it wouldn't take long to find Claire, because time wasn't exactly on their side anymore, and it wouldn't be long under Arthur caught up with them.

* * *

"For the love of…ARGH!" Gabriel cursed, pulling the door off its hinges with his telekinesis. This search wasn't going well at all. It had been over 2-hours since they had initially arrived at Pinehearst, and it was bordering on an hour since Claire's disappearance. Gabriel almost didn't know what to do next; their search was almost proving to be worthless.

"Hey…" Elle said softly, placing a small hand on her husband's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay, we'll find her" she reassured him.

"You always say that things will be fine, but do they ever turn out that way for people like us?!" Gabriel retorted. Elle simply looked at him with disappointment, her small face almost visibly betrayed.

Gabriel's expression turned to one of remorse upon seeing his wife's face. Now was not the time to be spiraling out of control. He had to keep his mind in the right place if they were to find Claire. "I'm sorry Elle. I—I didn't mean too" he told her.

Even though she could've walked off in a huff, Elle knew that it wasn't the solution. She couldn't afford to get angry with Gabriel for such a small outburst. "It's okay honey. I understand that you just want Claire to be safe. And we're gonna find her okay" Elle told him.

A sigh came the male Petrelli's mouth as he exited the room with Elle in tow. Gabriel looked further down the darkened hallway to hear the rustlings of Peter and Eden who were still in one of the other offices, and ignited a handful of electricity.

Eden poked her head out of the office as Gabriel and Elle joined them. "Have you guys found anything yet?" she asked.

"Nothing yet" Gabriel answered, "How bout you guys?"

"Ditto…we got nothing," Eden replied.

Peter finally joined his fiancée at the entrance to the office to see the dismay of his brother and wife. This whole search and rescue mission didn't seem to be working out the way they thought it would. Maybe splitting up hadn't been such a good idea after all.

"Nothin…we got nothin" Peter spat as he exited the office.

"We know" Gabriel answered. A small growl of frustration escaped his lips as he looked at his family, "There has to be another way of locating Claire."

Just then Elle's eyes widened, as she felt an idea spark in her head. "Peter, what's the range of your telepathy?"

Peter frowned at his small, blonde sister in-law and thought about her inquiry. "I dunno…" he answered.

"Well you said that you heard Claire in your head not too long ago. So you should be able to lock onto her this time," Elle said, looking to Peter intently.

Peter scratched his head as he once again thought about Elle's question. From his past experiences with Matt Parkman, Peter knew that telepathy could stretch as far as he wanted it too, as long as he didn't have any distractions.

"I should be able to cover at least two…maybe three floors with my telepathy, but that's only if I'm scanning and not altering any thoughts.

This brought a smile to Elle's face. "Okay then, you should be able to locate Claire" she beamed.

Gabriel looked to his younger brother with caution "But don't push it this time Peter" he warned.

Peter glanced back to his brother and nodded, "No problem." Peter closed his eyes and took a breath as he accessed the mental ability. His head slightly tilted to one side as he mentally roamed the building, searching for Claire's mind. Luckily for him there weren't many people in the building, but that didn't mean it would be easy for him to locate his niece.

"Are you sure he'll be able to find her exact location?" Eden asked, "Cause Peter could only hear her last time. Claire could be anywhere."

"Oh c'mon Mind-Warp, this is Peter we're talkin' about. He'll find Claire without a problem" Elle said with a smirk. She seemed awfully confident in Peter's abilities…she always had.

Peter pushed his telepathy further and further as he searched for Claire. Suddenly he caught her. "I got her," he whispered. He remained standing still with his eyes closed as he attempted to get a mental grip on his niece. He persisted, pushing his ability to the limit. The scent of blood could be smelt as well as tasted as the warm liquid made its decent from Peter's nose.

Eden placed a hand on Peter's shoulder for support. _He said he wouldn't push it…and now look what he's gotten himself into _Eden thought to herself.

"_Claire…Claire can you hear me?_"Peter asked mentally.

* * *

As Claire sat in the dimly lit room, she began to hear Peter in her mind. _"Peter…Peter...I-I'm trapped…in a room. I-I dunno where..._"

Immediately Claire placed a hand on her temple as she felt a minor migraine rip through her skull. She took a few deep breaths before looking to the door, "Arthur" she growled.

* * *

Peter heard Claire's response, but was then cut short by a static interruption. The sensation ripped through Peter's mind like an electrical shock. Peter placed a hand on his head as his eyes shot open, and collapsed to his knees.

"PETER…Honey are you alright?" Eden consoled.

"Peter what happened?" Gabriel asked in a concerned tone.

Although only two people had questioned him, Peter felt that he was getting bombarded with queries. He gasped for air as he opened his eyes and looked up to his family that surrounded him.

"I…found Claire. B-But I hit one of those static roadblocks" he told them.

The two women didn't know what Peter was talking about, but Gabriel knew. The same thing had happened to him numerous times in his previous life, when he had tried to take Parkman's ability.

"Peter, are you okay?" Eden asked, inching closer to her fiancée. Peter ran a hand through his thick hair and looked Eden in the eyes.

"I'm fine Eden," he answered. "Let's go find Claire," he said.

"Hold on a second, if you just got hit by telepathic-static, then how do we know where to go?" Elle glowered.

"I know the general area" Peter replied.

The rest of the Petrellis just looked at Peter, as if he had gone crazy. What he was saying almost didn't make any sense.

"Look I know the area where Claire's being held, because I've been there before" he said, glancing to Gabriel.

Suddenly Gabriel's intuitive aptitude kicked in and he understood exactly what Peter was talking about. "We should go with what Peter has for now. As we get closer we can always put the rest of the pieces together" he told the women.

Elle and Eden simply looked at the Petrelli men and shrugged in unison, "Okay" Elle said.

"Wait, what about Nathan and Meredith. We can't go without them," Eden cautioned.

"Then we'll get them on the way" Peter said.

With the plan made, the four of them began to make their way up to the fifth floor.

* * *

Nathan and Meredith walked down the hallway, checking every single room, laboratory and office that was within their reach, but still to no avail did they find any trace of Claire. For the oldest of the Petrelli clan, time didn't seem to be one their side, which meant they would have to take some shortcuts in order to find Claire.

Meredith came out of the room, a palm of fire in front of her as she approached her husband. "I still got nothing," she breathed. "I dunno what to do Nathan."

Nathan turned to meet his wife and put an arm around her. "Don't give in so easily Meredith. We're gonna find Claire, and we're gonna find whoever killed Mom. Then we'll have our redemption," he told her.

Meredith gave a small smile in response to her husband's words, yet still held onto her anxiety. She trusted Nathan with her life, but with everything that had occurred over the last few weeks to Nathan and the rest of their family, Meredith wasn't sure if she could take the pressure for much longer. And now with Claire being kidnapped and hidden within the confines of Pinehearst, all Meredith could do was hope and pray for a miracle.

Nathan looked to Meredith with consoling eyes, until the silent buzzing of Nathan's cell phone broke the silence. "What is it?" Nathan asked, answering the call.

"Nathan, it's me," Peter answered. "Gabriel, Elle, Eden and I are heading up to the third floor. How are you and Meredith doing?"

Meredith looked to Nathan questionably "Who is it?" she whispered.

"_It's Peter_" Nathan mouthed. "We've had no luck here. The place is completely empty," he told his youngest brother.

"Well get to the third floor and meet us there" Peter said urgently.

"Why?" Nathan asked skeptically.

"I think I may have found Claire" Peter replied.

Nathan's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing his brother's news. Meredith looked to him with hope, as she held onto his hand. "What is it Nathan?"

Nathan swallowed hard and took a breath "Where do you want us to meet?"

"Outside Arthur's old office" Peter replied simply.

"We'll be there," Nathan said, ending the call.

Meredith continued to look at her husband, her eyes now sparkling with tears "What happened? What did Peter say?" she asked urgently.

Nathan turned to face her, his hands resting on each arm "He said that they might know where Claire is" he smiled.

That was all Meredith needed to hear. The blonde grinned gracefully and wrapped her arms around Nathan, who reciprocated the gesture. "That's such good news Nathan" Meredith said, as she buried her head into the nook of his neck.

"So…where do we meet them?" she asked.

"Third floor, in front of Arthur's old office" he told her.

"Well lets get a move on" Meredith smiled.

Nathan took her by the hand and entered a nearby office. He then opened the window, just in time for the cool midnight breeze to hit them both. "Hold on tight," he told Meredith. Meredith grabbed onto Nathan, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. The senator leaped out of the window in one swift motion and begun their ascent to the top floor of the building.

* * *

In a dark room, where the only light provided was that from a few television screens, a grey-haired Arthur Petrelli sat leaning back in a leather office chair, sipping on a glass on bourbon. He watched the various screens as he saw two of his sons, and their significant others made their way to the third floor of the Pinehearst facility. He smirked blackly as he watched Peter leap from staircase to staircase with Eden on his back, while Gabriel and Elle simply levitated up floor by floor. He then shifted his eyes to a few other screens, where he saw Nathan and Meredith disappear out a window, as they took flight.

"That's it children…come to Papa" Arthur smirked, drawing more liquid into his mouth.

"This time…you're escape won't be so easy" he mused.


End file.
